Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and his lawyer Amer Anwar have warned American billionaire Elon Musk about potential legal action as their dispute continues following Musk's criticism of Yousaf and accusations of racism against white people. In response, the owner of the platform "X" reacted to the news with a post on Sunday, calling Humza Yousaf "extremely racist against whites." He added: "I challenge this scoundrel to sue me. Come on, make my day."
The conflict between the two began on Friday afternoon, when the Tesla CEO took to social media "X" to label Humza Yousaf as "extremely racist." This insult came after Yousaf attacked the businessman, calling him "the most dangerous man in the world" and accusing him of spreading misinformation online. The two had previously clashed over controversial hate crime legislation due to its potentially negative impact on freedom of speech.
Musk, who also criticized the Labour Party government for its response to the riots in the UK, commented on a "notorious" video of the former Prime Minister's speech about George Floyd in Holyrood. In the video, he attacked the Scottish public sector for filling all top positions with white individuals. Musk wrote: "He is extremely racist; Scotland has given him everything, yet he hates whites. This is clear because he has never complained about the racial makeup of leadership in any other country. There are over 200 countries in the world, most with leadership from a single race. Why only attack Scotland?"
Additionally, British media, including the "Sunday Mail," reported that Yousaf is not ruling out legal action regarding these comments and is "considering all options." His lawyer Amer Anwar stated: "Anyone who uses social media, even if they own the platform and believes that freedom of expression is absolute in either the UK or the US, needs to think again." He added, "Freedom of expression comes with responsibility, and if you break the law, there will be consequences, as we've seen in recent days. Elon Musk has effectively put a target on Humza Yousaf's back with his unacceptable, incorrect, and inflammatory comments."
