GMB Scotland Calls For SNP Leader Intervention Over Anti-Semitic Online Attack

GMB Scotland Calls For SNP Leader Intervention Over Anti-Semitic Online Attack

GMB Scotland has today (Monday 29 October) called on the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon to intervene after a ‘despicable and vile anti-Semitic’ online attack against its organiser Rhea Wolfson.

The blog in question, citing Ms Wolfson’s Jewish religion and Mein Kampf, authored under a pseudonym and followed by a number of elected representatives, was shared extensively on social media, including the official twitter account of a local SNP constituency party.

It comes in the wake of the recent Glasgow Equal Pay dispute and against a backdrop of social media misinformation and hate directed towards GMB Scotland, its members and employees.

GMB Scotland has now written to Ms Sturgeon asking her to intervene in her capacity as leader of the SNP and it has also sought the advice of its lawyers and Police Scotland with a view to future action.

GMB Scotland Secretary Gary Smith said: “On behalf of our trade union, I have been left with no other course of action but to contact Nicola Sturgeon, our lawyers and the authorities about this calculated attack on our employee, and asking them to intervene in their own respective capacities.

Not only was the content of this blog absolutely wrong on numerous levels but more importantly, the author specifically targeted a young woman in a manner that was laced with anti-Semitism and hate on cultural, gender, political, and trade union affiliation grounds – it was absolutely despicable and vile.

A line has been crossed but let me be clear: The truth is it’s also a snapshot of a widespread problem of online hatred and intolerance that’s at best been left largely unchallenged and at worst is enabled by our politics. We must respond with some common purpose as to how we can credibly tackle this poisonous aspect of our political culture.

We are sure Ms Sturgeon will agree with this, as will all elected representatives across our politics who respect the boundaries of what is decent and right, but everyone should be in no doubt that our union will vigorously defend our members, staff and its integrity against all attacks.”

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Contact: GMB Scotland Communications on 07976 447077.