Dumfries and Galloway councillor Jim Dempster made an off-colour remark:
In a meeting with Transport Scotland officials, the councilor said if Mr Yousaf had visited the region, “no-one would have seen him under his burka”.
Dempster has been suspended from the Labour Party “pending an investigation into his comment.”
Dempster’s remark was insensitive and inappropriate. His comment, however, does not prove that he is anti-Muslim or “Islamophobic,” as Humza Yousaf has called him. One also wonders what “investigation” might be required concerning his comment.
It is not surprising that Yousaf is pushing the “Islamophobia” canard so hard: Breitbart did a rather unflattering exposé about him in 2014, describing his activities as a trouble-making activist and referring to him as an “Islamist-linked radical.” The article also noted that “his age, looks and charisma have undoubtedly made it easier to entice the Scottish into his ‘radical’ agenda.”
Councilor Jim Dempster has since profusely apologized for his statement, but that was not enough. In Yousaf’s mind, Dempster deserves to be fired for his comment. It is unforgivable. As TheReligionofPeace.com states: the”Councillor’s epic groveling” was “still not enough.”
“‘TOKENISTIC PHOTO OP’ Transport Minister Humza Yousaf slams councillor Jim Dempster’s mosque visit amidst calls he quit”, by Katrine Bussey and Hilary Duncanson, Scottish Sun, March 20, 2018 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
TRANSPORT Minister Humza Yousaf has slammed Labour councillor Jim Dempster’s mosque visit as a “tokenistic photo op” amidst calls the councillor should quit.
It comes after the Scots politician rejected the Dumfries and Galloway councillor’s apology over religiously motivated hate comments.
Dumfries and Galloway councillor Jim Dempster said he was “deeply sorry” for the remark, adding he had visited a local mosque and had asked for further diversity training.
But Mr Yousaf has called for the councillor to quit – adding he had now received “correspondence to suggest that Cllr Dempster’s Islamophobic slur was not a one-off”.
Mr Dempster has already been suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation into his comment, which was made a week ago.
In a meeting with Transport Scotland officials, the councillor said if Mr Yousaf had visited the region, “no-one would have seen him under his burka”.
Mr Dempster said: “I fully accept that my comments were totally unacceptable.
“I am deeply sorry for the offence I have caused and I offered a full and immediate apology.
“I do not believe that the comments I made reflect the actions or views that I have held during my service to my community.”
However, Mr Yousaf said on Twitter: “After making such a blatant Islamophobic slur, a tokenistic photo-op at the local Mosque is frankly an insult……