- MP convicted of racial abuse.
- Trial and accusations.
- Calls for expulsion.
A court heard that Bob Stewart displayed “racial hostility” towards a demonstrator while demonstrating in front of the Foreign Office.
A Conservative member of parliament was convicted of ethnically abusing an activist by advising him to “return to Bahrain.”
A court heard that Bob Stewart displayed “racial hostility” towards a demonstrator while demonstrating in front of the Foreign Office.
The Member of Parliament for Beckenham in southeast London told Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, an activist, “You’re stealing money from my country; leave!” on December 14, during a dispute in Westminster the previous year.
Bob Stewart, for what price did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime? demanded Mr. Alwadaei.
“Join the Webull revolution in the UK and receive your free shares today.”
Stewart replied during a heated exchange, “Depart, I abhor you. You are extremely fussy. Return to Bahrain.”
Trial Details
On Friday, footage of his trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court revealed him saying, “Stop talking, you moron.”
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring found the member of parliament guilty of a racially motivated public order offence.
He declared Stewart not to be incarcerated.
The Liberal Democrats have demanded that Rishi Sunak expel Stewart from the Conservative Party in parliament.
The Metropolitan Police initiated an inquiry into the occurrence subsequent to a complaint lodged by Mr. Alwadaei, who claimed to be in exile subsequent to enduring torment in the Gulf state.
Mr. Alwadaei claimed Bahrain was “corrupt” and a “violator of human rights” during the one-day trial, and defended his right to protest the member of parliament’s association with the government.
When asked how he felt following the incident, the activist responded, “I feel dehumanised, as if I were an outsider in the United Kingdom.”
“Because of my skin colour, because of where I came from, he feels I am taking money from his country.”
“Racism of hostility”
Mr. Alwadaei further asserted that returning to Bahrain would “certainly result in execution and torture” for him.
Prosecutor Paul Jarvis stated that Stewart’s remarks “exhibited racial animosity towards Mr. Alwadaei,” and although he was “not motivated by racial animosity,” he had nonetheless “exhibited racial animosity.”
The representative stated that the accusation was “completely unfounded” and “completely unjust” and that he was “not a racist” in reply.
According to him: “My life has been, I don’t want to say destroyed, but I am deeply hurt at having to appear in a court like this.”
When the incident occurred, the 74-year-old politician told the court he had “no idea” who Mr. Alwadaei was and that he used the word “hate” in response to the protester’s remarks.
Stewart clarified that “‘Go back to Bahrain’ meant why don’t you go back to Bahrain and make your point there?”
“Honour is at risk”
When asked whether he accused Mr. Alwadaei of stealing money from the United Kingdom, the member of parliament replied, “I assumed he was also residing in this country and profiting from his residency.”
“I certainly didn’t mean he was a freeloader.”
However, he provided a defence for his response to the agitator, as he stated in court: “He was implying that I was corrupt and had stolen money. The matter was of the utmost importance to a considerable assembly of ambassadors.
“It upset me and I thought it was extremely offensive.”
