Sunday Times’ Liddle accused of ‘inciting violence’ after telling Islamists to ‘blow themselves up’
Sunday Times columnist, Rod Liddle has caused a furore on social media after penning an article about hate preacher and IS sympathizer Anjem Choudary, in which he encourages British Islamists to “blow themselves up” in London.
Sunday Times columnist, Rod Liddle has caused a furore on social media after penning an article about hate preacher and IS sympathizer Anjem Choudary, in which he encourages British Islamists to “blow themselves up” in London.
In his Sunday Times article, Liddle alleges that Choudary had encouraged British Islamists to leave the UK and blow themselves up, to which he remarks “I really don’t mind” – adding they can do that here in the UK, as long as it’s far from where any of us live, like Tower Hamlets. The east London borough of Tower Hamlets has a large muslim population.
Liddle writes: “He has urged British Islamists to leave the country and blow themselves up. Me too. Actually, I don’t really mind if they don’t leave the country, so long as they blow themselves up – somewhere a decent distance from where the rest of us live. Tower Hamlets, for example.”
The right-wing journo, who is also associate editor of The Spectator, has received widespread condemnation on social media for his comments. Mehdi Hasan, a presenter on Al Jazeera and columnist for The Intercept labelled Liddle’s article as “racism and incitement to violence.”
Tell Mama, a group which record and measures anti-Muslim incidents in the UK, accused him of Islamophobia. Others have called for him to be sacked.
If anyone anywhere ever questions Islamophobia in the British media, do point them at this single column. Seriously. It blows my mind. It's racism and incitement to violence (even in 'jest'!) at the same time.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) October 22, 2018
Our statement on the appalling comments by Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times article. Such anti-Muslim bigotry or Islamophobia is unacceptable and needs challenging. #Islamophobia#no2H8pic.twitter.com/CUOrIHcSyL
— TellMAMAUK (@TellMamaUK) October 22, 2018
This Rod Liddle piece is absolutely head-spinningly racist. He's not "joking" and it's not funny. Sunday Times need to get rid of him. What is the point of him apart from encouraging Islamophobia? https://t.co/DZkqxJBvrR
— Adam Wagner (@AdamWagner1) October 22, 2018
What would it take for the Sun, Sunday Times & Spectator to sack Rod Liddle? It appears he has engaged in:-Misogyny ✅-Transphobia ✅-Anti-Black Racism ✅-Genocide belittling ✅-Undermining anti-Semitism ✅-Islamophobia ✅-Incite violence ✅See thread for rationale
— Miqdaad Versi (@miqdaad) October 22, 2018
Tower Hamlets isn't a place where 'the rest of us' live? Really? Since when? Who is 'us', exactly? Because half of Tower Hamlets isn't white-English, suddenly it is not 'us'? Then Liddle should just come out with it blatantly & @thesundaytimes should be clear that 'us' is white.
— Dr H.A. Hellyer (@hahellyer) October 22, 2018
Labour Co-Operative MP Anna Turley branded Liddle’s language as “deeply insulting,” tweeting: “Enough [The Sunday Times]. You cannot keep the disgusting racist Rod Liddle on your books any longer.”
Tower Hamlets is one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK. The last Census in 2011 showed that 38 percent of Tower Hamlets residents identified as Muslim, compared with 30 percent who classified themselves as Christian. The borough includes Canary Wharf, a hugely influential financial district in London, where the average salary is reportedly £100,000, according to Galliard Homes.
READ MORE: ‘Genuinely dangerous’: Islamic State supporter Anjem Choudary released from prison
According to inews, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has confirmed it had received complaints about article, under Clause 12 (Discrimination) and Clause 3 (Harassment) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.
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