Politics · United Kingdom · 1 day ago
Scottish Green MSP faces calls to resign over liked antisemitic image
Ariane Burgess, a Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands, is facing calls to resign after her account liked a social media image showing Israel’s flag with a blood-covered swastika.
The image was posted by former SNP and Green MSP John Finnie.
Burgess said the like was an error and called the post inappropriate and distasteful.
The Jewish Council of Scotland condemned the image and urged the party to investigate her support for it and say what action it would take.
Opposition MSP Rachael Hamilton called for Burgess to be suspended.
The dispute comes after Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer was criticised for backing a claim that Zionism is racism.
The calls put pressure on the party leadership, but the material does not say what action, if any, the party will take.
Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess is facing calls to resign after liking a social media image showing the Israeli flag with a blood-covered swastika.
Burgess said the post was liked in error and described it as inappropriate and distasteful.
The Jewish Council of Scotland called for the Scottish Greens to act and said Burgess owed Scotland’s Jewish community an explanation and an unequivocal apology.
Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton called on the party’s co-leaders to suspend Burgess.
The image was posted on Instagram and Facebook by former MSP John Finnie.
- Who
- Ariane Burgess, a Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands, is facing calls to resign.
- What
- She liked an image of the Israeli flag with a blood-covered swastika. Burgess said the like was in error.
- When
- The story was published on 10 October 2026; the article says Burgess became aware of the like that day.
- Where
- The image was posted on Instagram and Facebook.
- Why
- Opposition parties and Jewish leaders condemned the image and Burgess’s interaction with it as antisemitic.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
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.
Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay should grow a backbone and suspend Ariane Burgess from the Scottish Greens.
It appears this post was liked in error.
Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer was condemned for backing claims by the Greens in England and Wales that Zionism is racism.
The Daily Mail reported calls for Burgess to resign after she liked the image.
Burgess said the like had come to her attention that day and appeared to have been made in error.
- MSP
- Ariane Burgess
- Constituency
- Highlands
- Image
- Israeli flag with a blood-covered swastika
- Original poster
- John Finnie, a former SNP and Green MSP
- Platforms
- Instagram and Facebook
Sources
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