Scottish Green MSP facing demands to quit after endorsing antisemitic post

An MSP is being urged to resign after endorsing a vile antisemitic post on social media. An investigation by the Mail on Sunday has found that Ariane Burgess, the Scottish Greens MSP for the Highlands, liked an image depicting the Israeli flag with a swastika on it, covered in blood. The image was posted on Instagram and Facebook by former SNP and Green MSP John Finnie, who has also made posts describing Israeli soldiers as ‘Nazis in action’, said ‘blood-thirsty Zionists’ and shared a cartoon depicting an Israeli soldier in a Nazi military uniform. Calls are now being made for Ms Burgess’s resignation, with opposition parties and Jewish leaders condemning the content and her support of it. The board of the Jewish Council of Scotland said the material was ‘groteque and antisemitic’ and have called for the Scottish Greens to take immediate action against Ms Burgess. Green MSP Ariane Burgess endorsed an antisemitic social media post Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer has been urged to take action against Ms Burgess A spokesman said: ‘Depicting the Israeli flag with a blood-covered swastika is grotesque and antisemitic. It exploits the murder of six million Jews to demonise the Jewish state. ‘A serving MSP endorsing such imagery owes Scotland’s Jewish community an explanation and an unequivocal apology. Comparing Israeli soldiers to Nazis is repugnant, dehumanising language. Politicians have every right to criticise the Israeli government and its military actions. ‘That does not excuse Holocaust inversion or stripping people of their humanity. Coming alongside the Greens’ decision to treat Zionism as racism, this raises serious questions about whether Jewish concerns are being heard at all within the party. ‘Scotland’s Jews should not have to keep explaining why the Holocaust must not be weaponised against them. ‘The Scottish Greens’ leadership must publicly condemn this material, investigate its endorsement by Ariane Burgess and make clear what action will follow.’ Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton said: ‘Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay should grow a backbone and suspend Ariane Burgess from the Scottish Greens.’ It comes after the Scottish Green party co-leader Mr Greer was condemned for backing claims from the Greens in England and Wales that Zionism is racism last week. Ms Burgess told the MoS that she had liked the post by accident. She said: ‘It has only come to my attention today, and it appears this post was liked in error. ‘It was not my intention to cause any harm, but I accept that the post liked by my account was clearly inappropriate and distasteful and any interaction with it could be upsetting or distressing. ‘I never want anyone to feel alienated, hurt or disappointed by my interactions on social media or in person.’