...Middle East expert Rowan Laxton, 47, was watching TV reports of the Israeli attack on Gaza as he used an exercise bike in a gym. Stunned staff and gym members allegedly heard him shout: 'F**king Israelis, f**king Jews'. It is alleged he also said Israeli soldiers should be 'wiped off the face of the earth'. His rant reportedly continued even after he was approached by other gym users.
After a complaint was made to police, Mr Laxton was arrested for inciting religious hatred through threatening words and behaviour and bailed until late next month.
...Mr Laxton, who is still working normally, is head of the South Asia Group at the Foreign Office, on a salary of around £70,000...he married a Muslim woman in 2000...
...Mr Laxton had gone to the London Business School's gym in Regent's Park after work on January 27. An onlooker said: 'I was in the gym around 9pm and I heard this guy shouting something about "f**king Israelis.
Monday, February 09, 2009
I Wonder, Does An Antisemitic Tirade Sound Better or Worse in A British Accent?
High-ranking Foreign Office diplomat arrested over anti-Semitic gym tirade
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6 comments:
Although such tirades are not acceptable behavior, I do however, believe in Free Speech. Being arrested for "inciting religious hatred through threatening words and behavior" is ridiculous.
Public chastisement is fine. Quelling free speech is not.
Figures. If you are a Muslim, yelling some thing like that is par for the course.
If you are not a Muslim, then it is inciting religious hatred.
It's called a diplomatic disease.
Well, since there ar Christians and Muslims and Druze in Israel's army, to call them all "Jews" instead of "Israelis" seems fairly antisemitic to me. Not to you?
What difference does it make why he hates Jews? The fact is that he does, and that makes him an antisemite. Does anyone care what motivated the Nazis or the Khmer Rouge?
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