Elon Musk has been condemned for “ignorant” comments over the death of Fife dad Sheku Bayoh nearly 10 years ago.
The owner of X, formerly Twitter, used his social media platform to share false information on spending on a public inquiry into the death in Kirkcaldy.
Dad-of-two Mr Bayoh died after being restrained by six police officers in Hayfield Road on May 3, 2015.
On Friday, Tesla owner Musk tried to make a point while attacking Labour and the UK Government for turning down calls for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.
Turning to Scottish Government spending on a completely unrelated inquiry in Scotland on Mr Bayoh’s death, Musk wrote: “No UK government inquiry for the gang rape of innocent little girls, but £22m spent on an obviously violent lunatic.
“Shame, shame, shame.”
Today, Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker – who was among those calling for the Bayoh inquiry – told The Courier: “The family of Sheku Bayoh have shown dignity throughout the inquiry into his death and this latest comment from Elon Musk just demonstrates his ignorance of the case and does nothing to disguise an inflammatory and increasingly racist agenda.”
A public inquiry investigating the actions of the police and whether Mr Bayoh’s race played a part in his death was announced in 2019.
Chaired by retired senior Scottish judge Lord Barcadale, it is yet to report its findings.
Ms Baker’s comments are just one part of a furious backlash at Musk.
His stream of comments attacking UK authorities focused on child grooming and “rape gangs” over the past few days.
Elon Musk targets Gordon Brown
Earlier on Monday, Mr Musk suggested the prime minister was “complicit in the crimes” of child sex offenders, and in a separate post added: “Prison for Starmer.”
He also accused former Labour prime minister and Fife MP Gordon Brown of having “committed an unforgivable crime against the British people” and “sold those little girls for votes”, over his handling of grooming gangs while in office.
Asked about Mr Musk’s posts to his 210 million followers following a speech at Epsom Hospital in Surrey, Sir Keir said: “Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible are not interested in victims, they are interested in themselves.”
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