A Conservative MP has been found guilty of racially abusing an activist by telling him to “go back to Bahrain” during a confrontation in central London.
Bob Stewart, the MP for Beckenham in south-east London, also told Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei “you’re taking money off my country, go away” during an argument outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House in Westminster.
The 74-year-old had been attending an event hosted by the Bahraini embassy when Alwadaei shouted: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”
During a fractious exchange, Stewart replied: “Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain.”
In footage of the incident on 14 December 2022 played during a trial at Westminster magistrates court on Friday, the MP is heard telling Alwadaei: “Now shut up, you stupid man.”
The chief magistrate Paul Goldspring found the MP guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence. He said Stewart would not be jailed and fined the MP £600, with additional legal costs bringing the total to £1,435.
During the hearing, Stewart was asked for his thoughts on the allegations of racial hostility and told the court: “That’s absurd. It’s totally unfair. My life has been … I don’t want to say destroyed, but I am deeply hurt at having to appear in a court like this.”
The MP, a former British army officer who was stationed in Bahrain in 1969, said: “I am not a racist. He was saying that I was corrupt and that I had taken money. My honour was at stake in front of a large number of ambassadors. It upset me and I thought it was extremely offensive.”
Stewart told the court he had “no idea” who Alwadaei was and said he used the word “hate” because of what the protester was saying.
Asked if he accused Alwadaei of taking money from the UK, the MP said: “I made the assumption he too was living in this country and was benefiting from living in this country. I certainly didn’t mean he was a freeloader.”
The MP used the phrase “my country” because he “assumed” Alwadaei was from Bahrain, but accepted that the words “this country” would “perhaps have been better”, the court heard.
Last December, the Guardian revealed that Alwadaei complained to the Conservative party about the confrontation outside the reception.
The Metropolitan police launched an investigation after a complaint was lodged by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy activist, who has said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state.
Speaking about the row, Alwadaei said: “I feel that I was dehumanised, like I was someone who is not welcomed in the UK. Because of my skin colour, because of where I came from, he feels I am taking money from his country.”
The Conservative party is facing calls to remove the Tory whip from Stewart.
The Liberal Democrat chief whip, Wendy Chamberlain MP, said: “It’s time [Rishi] Sunak finally acted with integrity. This should start with immediately removing the whip from Bob Stewart. Failing to remove the whip sends a dangerous message that behaviour like this is acceptable.
“Rishi Sunak has allowed his first year as prime minister to be dogged [by] sleaze and scandal. The very least he could do now is to finally crack down on it.”
The Conservatives have been contacted for comment.