A Church of Scotland minister who heckled Jeremy Corbyn as a “terrorist sympathiser” has been suspended by the kirk.
Reverend Richard Cameron was later found to have sent a series of racist and homophobic messages on social media after a video of him interrupting the Labour leader outside a campaign event in Glasgow was posted online.
A number of Tweets posted by Rev Cameron in which he decried homosexuals as “celebrating perversion,” suggested HIV was the result of a “lack of stigma” around gay sex and called Muslims “Barbarians” were uncovered following the incident.
Here’s a video clip of the moment Jeremy Corbyn was heckled in Glasgow pic.twitter.com/ALiSjiZ77W
— Tom Rayner (@RaynerSkyNews) November 13, 2019
The kirk has now suspended Rev Cameron, a minister at Scotstoun Parish Church, pending an investigation.
A spokeswoman for the Church of Scotland said: “In accordance with our procedures Rev Richard Cameron has been administratively suspended.”
“This is to allow us to carry out an enquiry in relation to the incident which took place earlier this week and the subsequent complaints about his social media use.”
The Humanist Society raised a complaint regarding Rev Cameron’s social media usage nine months ago, however it was later closed by the Presbytery of Glasgow, who said they had given “advice” to the reverend over his future behaviour online.
On Thursday, The National reported parents at Scotstoun Primary School were told Rev Cameron would “no longer be engaged” with the school as chaplain.
A letter issued to parents by head teacher Gill McKay read: “You may be aware of some social media posts currently circulating over the last 24 hours involving our school chaplain Rev Richard Cameron and I wanted to write and inform you that he will no longer be engaged with Scotstoun Primary School.”
“Glasgow schools celebrate diversity and the cultural make up of our city – teaching respect and understanding of these cultures and religions to our children and young people and like all Glasgow schools we pride ourselves in the expression of different opinions.
"However, when these opinions cause offence, then we need to evaluate the reputational risk to our school and the potential damage to the education of our children."
A Scottish Labour source said: "We’re very glad to learn this incident is being treated with the seriousness it deserves by the Church of Scotland and we look forward to continuing to engage with the Church and Society Council."
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