Green councillor (Glasgow) cleared after calling gender-critical people ‘Nazis’

[IwantToRetire]

Councillor Elaine Gallagher said “extremists” had attended a Let Women Speak rally in the centre of Glasgow and linked the crowd to the murders and attempted suicides of trans people.

In a case that hinged on the definition of the term 'Nazi', a watchdog has decided it would not be appropriate to censure the elected politician for comments made about the February 2023 event.

Gender recognition reform critic Posie Parker was a speaker at the rally, which took place in the city's George Square and attracted a counter-protest in support of LGBT rights.

Gallagher, a city bailie who represents the Southside Central district, was reported to the Standards Commission over comments made at a full meeting of Glasgow City Council.

At a hearing, the panel found she had breached the provision in the Councillors’ Code of Conduct which requires local politicians to “treat others with courtesy and respect”.

However, the panel said she had “enhanced protection of freedom of expression as a politician commenting on a matter of public interest”.
The watchdog said it could not justify any restrictions on this right due to the circumstances of the case and a formal finding of a breach of the code of conduct could not be made.

Dr Lezley Stewart, chair of the hearing panel, said: “The panel found that, in her speech, Cllr Gallagher stated that some of those attending a rally in respect of women’s rights were Nazis and, as such, inferred that they had extreme far right views and subscribed to an ideology based on ideas of racial, social and biological purity.”

Article continues at https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,green-councillor-cleared-after-calling-trans-critics-nazis

So, an elected official slings around the "Nazis" slur and that's fine. From the article this particular zinger stands out-

  "there was “sufficient factual basis” for Gallagher’s contention that the rally had been “attended by Nazis”, even if this was “entirely inaccurate”, the watchdog said.

These twats couldn't run a fucking whelk stall.

And this!

the panel said she had “enhanced protection of freedom of expression as a politician commenting on a matter of public interest”.

The watchdog said it could not justify any restrictions on this right due to the circumstances of the case and a formal finding of a breach of the code of conduct could not be made

Since when did being an elected politician give you the right to slur and mis represent people?

Never heard anything like it.

Added to which at a time that many have called for politicians to tone it down and not resort to personal attacks, what is this tribunal thinking?

Or maybe they aren't thinking.

They are just another government organisation that has been transed ie given the right to do what they want or feel.

Unlike women who are meant to STFU and accept their inferior rights as the best they are ever going to get.

Scotland, from here in sunny Surrey, does look like a very small world anyone who is anyone must be on the koolaid (unless they want the Jo Cherry treatment). Getting these fucking headbangers out and replaced with people demonstrably from planet earth is going to take years.

What? So they conceded that there were no Nazis present, that there was no evidence to support the claim, but because of free speech, she was entitled to say it.

Head explodes

That is outrageously illogical gobbledygook.

An example of listening to the views of trans people/activists?
'And members agreed that while the debate around transgender and women’s rights is “extremely polarised”, Gallagher is entitled to express her views “in a forthright and even robust manner”, and noted that the speech was made in the context of discrimination she faces as a transgender woman.'

So really anything goes as long as you are speaking from the right side?

... Gallagher is entitled to express her views “in a forthright and even robust manner”, and noted that the speech was made in the context of discrimination she faces as a transgender woman.' But everything that the people Gallagher slandered did or said was also in the context of the structural and systemic discrimination they face as women, and in some cases as lesbians or as members of various marginalised communities who are disproportionately disadvantaged by the erosion of women's rights and single-sex spaces and services. So would it be similarly OK (perhaps even more so, as they are members of the public and not elected officials) for them now to make false statements about and go on record with whatever random slurs they can invent about Gallagher? Generally, if one can't coherently and accurately criticise someone's actions or views (and yes, that includes women's actions and views; we are each "someone") without using hateful discriminatory language, it's precisely because you are a bigot.

is that available in an English translation?

Retiredfromthere · Today 02:38

So really anything goes as long as you are speaking from the right side?

Apparently so.

I posted the bit below the dashed line back in April for the PCC elections. Some accusations seem repeatedly acceptable despite being an evidence-free zone. (Remember then C4's Inclusion Consultant Sue Pascoe reporting WPUK and We Need To Talk to Prevent, the anti-terrorism unit?)

Further discussion in this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womensrights/3361150-Dr-Nicola-Williams-on-BBC2-at-10-15-Victoria-Live?pg=7#prettyPhoto/1/

---

I Googled for Police Women’s Independent Advisory Group in my county. They don't mention a women's group but do say they want to hear from people who feel that their community’s voice is underrepresented in dialogue with their local /county police.

I doubt the Police mean women and especially doubt that they mean me but I shall contact them. I suggested this to a friend who also Googled. And has reported back with this tweet and news (she's in Essex). So, if I was wondering how the drive to remove single sex services had happened, I'm now sadder and wiser as to the explanation in some areas.

‘I believe the College of Police is inherently corrupted by gender ideology'

'Recently, a man named Clare, Head of the Independent Advisory Group to Essex Police, said women with gender critical views should be treated as terrorists’

- Sarah Phillimore, Co-founder WeAreFairCop

https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1769464221874434067

It's becoming a real trend to call GC women Nazis, or to seek to align them with the Far Right.

You have to wonder why it is happening.

Its funny isn't it how some people seem to have the right to "free speech" but others dont.

And who gets to deside, and how it happens to be them that decide.

Quite similar to the discussion on free speech in universities thread.

But one thing we can be sure of it will never be women.

How have those absolute fecking spanners confused the actual real concept of parliamentary privilege with some loosey-goosey idea that holding any form of elected office gives you freer speech than mere mortals?! (Is this a lifelong privilege? If so, I’d like it to be known I was Head Girl at school & am claiming my right to call anyone I fancy a Nazi without repercussions on that basis…)

Desperation. An attempt to frighten the public out of exercising critical thinking and insisting on children being protected from this dangerous fact shifting ideology. As all the scandals are exposed the #nodebate enforcers resort to ever more extreme tactics.

"Gallagher said: “When an anti-trans speaker had a rally in George Square this year, it was attended by Nazis. These are the extremists, and the result of this extremism is blighted lives, children silenced, bullied, abused in so-called conversion therapy, driven to attempt suicide, people murdered and mourned on the anniversaries of mass shootings and a day of remembrance.”

The hearing was told that it was not in dispute that she had stated that accusations made against LGBTQ+ individuals lead to threats of physical violence and death threats, and that the language used had been described as “genocidal”.

In a written statement, the panel accepted that some of the remarks were about the impact of accusations about LGBTQ+ individuals, and about anti-trans sentiment in general, not about the rally or its attendees – and therefore these could not be considered discourteous or disrespectful."

I don't know about this specific one, but Kelly-Jay Keen has had literal Nazis (people who openly support the Nazi ideology and do the saluting etc) attend some of her other rallies, on her side.

I think she is making a good point if she is trying to talk about the impact of [false malicious] accusations against LGBT people, and that hate and accusations can lead to threats which then leads to violence.

Serious accusations against LGBT people and drag performers do seem to be thrown around too casually. Lawrence Fox (who also likes to burn gay pride flags in his garden) recently accused drag performers (performers of the Olympic ceremony or torch carrying specifically) as "devious little pdos" and "child f*kers" without evidence.

www.thepinknews.com/2024/07/29/laurence-fox-sued/

Fuxache, not tired old bollocks about KJK inviting Nazis again, whilst ignoring the fact that they were also at the trans rally.

And the more salient fact that the disciplinary committee admitted that none were at the event in question.

Talk about desperate reaching!

I don't know why they always stick the LGB bit in for these protesters. They are always and only interested in trans rights, aka the right of men to impose their ideas on women whenever they wish.

"there was “sufficient factual basis” for Gallagher’s contention that the rally had been “attended by Nazis”, even if this was “entirely inaccurate”, the watchdog said.

WTAF

I could say the same for Kelly Jay Keen, who sets up anti-trans rallies. Even if she doesn't specifically invite Nazis, it is a fact actual Nazis have attended some of her rallies and they are on her side.

They're not on her side, they're anti-trans, whilst KJK is pro-women and girls. Part of that includes keeping trans people, who are males claiming to be females, out of women's spaces.

How do you stop (a few) Nazis from attending events?

By giving up and not holding them, I'd assume...

Funny how Antifa didn't take on the actual Nazis, though... Much easier to scream at women,

Let's not get derailed, though.

Does anyone know if there is an appeal process?

"there was “sufficient factual basis” for Gallagher’s contention that the rally had been “attended by Nazis”, even if this was “entirely inaccurate”, the watchdog said.

🤔😕😵‍💫