GB NEWS and Nigel Farage have been accused of “all time low” coverage of a TikTok video depicting individuals in a small boat.
The Indian Council of Scotland and the United Kingdom has filed a complaint with the broadcaster after the headline “WTF…Sikh-ing Asylum” appeared on the screen before Farage appeared to mock a video of persons crossing what GB News claimed was the English Channel.
“This TikTok surfaced this morning and yep, it’s a small boat crossing the English Channel,” former Ukip leader Farage said on the channel.
“You’ve been used in the past to the Albanians, this is a boat full of Sikhs. Indeed, they are all from India. What a fun day they’re having.
“Basically, it doesn’t matter where you come from in the world, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got a real claim to be a genuine refugee or not, it’s come on down, cross the English Channel, pay a trafficker and you will be permitted to stay.
“The whole thing is ridiculous, and even if they fix the economy, that issue alone could cost them the next general election.”
The tape was published on Facebook by the Indian Council, who accused GB News of using a “racial insult” towards Sikhs.
President Neil Lal stated that Farage and the United Kingdom should provide a public apology.
“I was startled and dismayed, and the [Sikh] community is embarrassed and very upset,” he told The National.
“The Sikh community are law-abiding residents in this country and I’m just very upset therefore we’ve issued a letter to GB News.
“We think Nigel Farage should issue a public apology too as well as GB News because it’s not pleasant and you can’t generalise a community, a faith or culture in this way.