George Galloway Demands £6,000 From Twitter Users Who 'Called Him Anti-Semitic'

George Galloway Is Suing People Who Apparently Called Him Names
File photo dated 16/04/12 of Respect MP George Galloway, as Neil Masterson, 39 admitted beating the MP but denied his attack was religiously aggravated.
File photo dated 16/04/12 of Respect MP George Galloway, as Neil Masterson, 39 admitted beating the MP but denied his attack was religiously aggravated.
Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

George Galloway has apparently demanded "significant" damages from up to a dozen Twitter users who allegedly called him anti-Semitic.

The Twitter users reported being sent a letter written by lawyers acting on behest of the Respect MP, informing them that they need to pay over £6,000 each, according to The Times.

One of the people who is an apparent recipient of the letter is a charity worker who only has 75 followers.

The tweets in question relate to a heated appearance by Galloway on BBC Question Time last month.

Galloway - a staunch critic of Israel - was roundly heckled during the show, which was filmed in Finchley, North London, a heavily Jewish area.

The final questioner implied the Respect MP - who last year declared Bradford an "Israel-free zone" - had contributed to an anti-Semitic fervor in the UK, an allegation he has strongly denied.

Galloway rejected the claims on air and in the aftermath of the show wrote a blog claiming the audience selection was “laughably biased”.

During a Twitter conversation a few days later Guardian writer Hadley Freeman also accused Galloway of blurring the line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

The tweet, which was later deleted, lead to the following exchange:

In response, solicitors apparently acting on Galloway's behalf wrote letters stating those in question are “required” to pay legal costs of £5,000 plus VAT.

Galloway is well-known for his outspoken views and vocal public persona. Footage emerged last month showing him condemn the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for producing “pornographic, obscene insults” against the Prophet Muhammad.

On Saturday he spoke spoke at the Newcastle Unites counter demo in response to the far-right Pegida march.

Beforehand, he said: "All right-thinking people in Britain condemn the idea of a German Nazi group coming to the north east of England trying to stir up trouble.

"The vast majority of British people respect that and the people who are on here on the counter-demonstration are representing millions.

"We have enough problems in Britain without Germans coming over here and causing more. We have problems in Britain without racism and Islamophobia being further stoked."

Galloway, who travelled to the North East in his Mercedes, said he was not anti-German. "I love Germans, I'm driving a German car, but this is one German import we don't want."

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