LONDON: An incident of Islamophobia has stirred outrage as British Member of Parliament (MP) Mohammed Yasin was stopped from boarding an Air Canada flight only because his name was ‘Mohammed’. The incident occurred when Yasin, the MP for Bedford, was traveling to Canada with colleagues from the House of Commons leveling up, housing, and communities committee.
Islamophobic Incident with British MP
Yasin was held back for questioning for an extended period both before departing for Canada and upon his return to the United Kingdom (UK). The matter was brought to light in Parliament by the chair of the committee, Clive Betts, who condemned the incident as “racist and Islamophobic.”
According to Betts, Air Canada staff questioned Yasin about his place of birth and whether he was carrying any offensive weapons. Yasin was eventually allowed to travel after proving his identity as an MP with the assistance of committee officials.
Clive Betts announced his intention to address the issue formally by writing to the Canadian high commissioner in the UK to protest Yasin’s treatment. He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the incident was entirely unacceptable and highlighting the potential consequences if a similar situation occurred with a regular citizen who might have been denied boarding under such circumstances.
Deputy Speaker Roger Gale expressed the collective dismay of the House of Commons regarding the treatment of MP Mohammed Yasin. He stressed that such behavior was entirely unacceptable, particularly when it occurred during official travel for parliamentary duties, calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and appropriate action against any discriminatory practices.
