Scottish Parliament committee cut short over suffragette scarf

A woman visiting the Scottish Parliament was ejected from a meeting of the equalities committee after she refused to remove a scarf that shared the colours of the suffragette movement. When MSPs present at the meeting questioned the call for the woman to be removed, the committee engagement was abandoned altogether. Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone was later forced to issue a formal apology for Holyrood’s treatment of the woman.Speaking during the committee meeting on Tuesday morning, Conservative MSP Russell Findlay said: ‘It’s been noted on social media that a member of the public who was present was wearing a scarf in the colours of purple, white and green and has been asked to either remove the scarf or leave the room. ‘Can I seek some guidance?’Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee Joe Fitzpatrick responded: ‘I am going to suspend the meeting and we will have a discussion about this in private.’The SNP member affirmed: ‘We’re suspending the meeting.’Mr Findlay, who is Deputy Convenor of the committee, later shared a clip of the incident on social media and suggested the scarf had been deemed a ‘political slogan’. Alison Johnstone was forced to apologise after a woman was evicted from a committee meeting (Image: Scottish Parliament TV) The white, green and purple colours have been long associated with the suffragette movement (Image: GETTY)The woman at the centre of the dispute tweeted a photo of her scarf and declared she had refused to remove the ‘inoffensive’ item of clothing when requested to do so.Writing under the Twitter username @Obsolesence, she said: ‘I have just been asked to remove my new scarf. I refused because it’s lovely and inoffensive.’Apparently the Scottish Parliament believed these colours are unacceptable while several MSPs wear rainbow lanyards. The Scottish Parliament is now policing clothing colours.’The rainbow lanyards worn by a number of MSPs were overlooked despite their close association with the LGBT movement, which could see the lanyards viewed as a political accessory.Read more: MSP sparks outrage by pinning ‘Yes’ to independence sticker on poppy MSP Russell Findlay questioned the order for the woman to be removed (Image: Twitter: @RussellFindlay1) SNP convenor of the committee Joe Fitzpatrick suspended the meeting (Image: Twitter: @RussellFindlay1)The Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone later addressed the incident in a statement to the Holyrood chamber.She said: ‘I would like to advise the chamber that the action taken this morning was not prompted by any members of the committee.’The action taken was an error and I would like to apologise on behalf of the parliament. ‘The wearing of a scarf in those colours does not, in itself, breach the visitor code of conduct.’She added: ‘The parliament wishes people to engage with the democratic process, including observing elected representatives debate and make the law of the country.’Don’t miss: ‘Outrageous’ Scotland to lose 2 MPs but England gains 10  [INSIGHT]Sturgeon set to cave under SNP pressure on contested gender bill [REVEAL]Sturgeon skewered over COP27 visit – ‘Could you do that remotely’ [REPORT] Ms Johnstone asserted suffrage colours were not banned at the Scottish Parliament (Image: GETTY)The Presiding Officer explained the decision to eject the woman had been made in accordance with the visitor regulations regarding political symbols.Visitor rules state individuals must not display banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing and accessories. The woman involved asserted her scarf did not breach the code of conduct.Ms Johnstone added: ‘Let me make one thing crystal clear – suffrage colours are not, and have never been, banned at the Scottish Parliament.’We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood and will continue to do so.’Read next: Glasgow council on brink of forking out ‘£1 billion’ in pay rowSturgeon humiliated as SNP’s social care plan ‘not enough’ Sturgeon shamed over patient forced to wait never-coming ambulanceNicola Sturgeon torn apart over SNP’s ‘absurd ideas’Sturgeon’s independence dream to cause ‘cascading’ brain drain