Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s misogyny is simply as troubling as his antisemitism | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Amid outrage over extremist social media posts by Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, whose arrival in Britain has inexplicably been greeted ecstatically by Keir Starmer and different out-of-touch politicians, two subjects have largely been ignored. Much of the anger over the previous few days has centered on racism, antisemitism and incitements to hatred and homicide in his vile feedback. And rightly so. Any cursory look at Abd el-Fattah’s social media would counsel he isn’t the form of individual we needs to be flinging out the welcome mat for irrespective of how delighted the PM is to take action.

What has obtained much less scrutiny is his open and ugly misogyny and homophobia. Among feedback attributed to Abd el-Fattah are posts joking about coming to Britain to “rape your women”, alongside remarks referring to homosexual individuals as “dirty homosexuals”. Others are just too disgusting to bear repeating in print.

As a younger girl, I’m sick of being advised to excuse this behaviour as a result of the person accountable is politically handy. He shouldn’t be allowed on this nation or stay a British citizen. His ideology threatens the protection and dignity of girls like me.

Either we defend girls and LGBT+ individuals in all circumstances, or our much-trumpeted values imply nothing in any respect. The authorities always tells us it’s dedicated to girls’s rights. Ministers boast about tackling violence in opposition to girls and women, waving delight flags and slogans. But when confronted with somebody who overtly expresses misogyny and hostility in direction of homosexual individuals, these rules abruptly change into negotiable.

British citizenship will not be a participation trophy. It is a privilege that ought to include primary requirements, together with respect for ladies, respect for homosexual individuals, and respect for individuals of various races or religions. These are the requirements we anticipate of each different Briton, so why ought to this man be an exception?

If Britain is to be a genuinely progressive nation, not only one that talks recreation, then individuals who promote misogyny and homophobia don’t have any place right here.

If ministers actually imagine girls need to be protected, as they so usually declare, then they need to act decisively. Abd el-Fattah’s British citizenship needs to be revoked, and he needs to be deported. He needs to be banned from this nation in order that he can’t unfold a harmful ideology that normalises violence and hatred. Deportation will not be merciless. It is the accountable factor to do. It is the state doing its job.

I discover it inconceivable to imagine these views had been solely unknown earlier than he was granted citizenship by the earlier Tory authorities. It is an utter shame he was allowed a British passport within the first place. The very least the present authorities can now do, is to right the error and revoke it.

This needs to be the litmus check. Either ministers are courageous sufficient to defend girls, even when it’s politically uncomfortable, or they don’t actually worth the protection, freedom, and dignity of girls like me in any respect.