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.”
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