Adam Yosef

Adam Yosef (born September 1981) is a British Asian multimedia journalist[1] and community activist.[2]

Activism

Between 2003 and 2004, Yosef was employed by the Birmingham Mosque Trust as a Press & Public Relations representative.[3] He regularly appeared as spokesperson for the trust alongside its chairman, Dr Mohammad Naseem.[4][5][6][7][8]

He is co-founder of the interfaith Saltley Gate Peace Group, Community & Interfaith Liaison Officer for the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition[9] and was Press Officer for Salma Yaqoob, a Respect - The Unity Coalition candidate in the 2005 general election. He was also Press & New Media Officer for Yaqoob, now leader of the party, during the 2010 general election.[10][11]

He has been actively involved in community work related to the Lozells riots, the Alum Rock terror raids[12][13] and campaigning against radical groups in the Midlands.[14][15][16]

In his early twenties, Yosef slept rough on the streets of London before being assisted by The Salvation Army.[17]

Journalism

Between 2005 and 2006, Yosef was senior journalist with The Asian Today and Desi Xpress, owned by Urban Media.

In 2007, Yosef was appointed sub editor of entertainment magazine Ikonz. In 2008, he became a columnist for Fusian magazine.

In 2009, Yosef and fellow multimedia journalist Kyle Kowalski launched the I Am Birmingham video project, of which he is Creative Director.[18][19][20][21]

In 2011, he was attacked by rioters while covering the 2011 England riots.[22]

Yosef regularly writes for BBC Online and works closely with BBC Birmingham, with work highlighting issues of socio-politics, diversity, culture, racism and religion.[23][24][25][26] He has also written for the Birmingham Mail.[27]

Controversy

In the December 2005 issue of the British Asian newspaper Desi Xpress (Issue 42), he made allegedly homophobic remarks about the UK's new civil partnership law for same-sex couples, including remarks such as "Hmm... gay weddings... Gay people and commitment? I don't think so... They'll be shagging the neighbours before they even cut the cake. Bad idea I'm afraid. Great way of evading tax though...." He later apologised in the same newspaper, claiming his opinions were misinterpreted.[28][29]

In January 2006, he subsequently wrote another article for the same newspaper on bigotry, in which he named Peter Tatchell, leader of OutRage!, Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, and Omar Bakri Mohammed, leader of Al-Muhajiroun, as the three top "hate filled bigots" in the United Kingdom. He also said that Tatchell "needs a good slap in the face" and that he and his "queer campaign army" should "pack their bent bags and head back to Australia." After complaints that he was homophobic and inciting violence, Yosef claimed that he had "misspoken" – he never apologised,[30] saying that the reference to Australia was intended as a reference to the Cronulla riots in Sydney.[28]

Tribune magazine, allied to the left of the Labour Party, criticised Yosef and suggested his NUJ card should be withdrawn.[31] He was further described as "bigoted" and "hate-driven" by Progress magazine, which is allied to the Blairite faction of the Labour Party and criticised by the Green Party,[32] of which Tatchell is a member. Respect defended Yosef, citing his BBC articles supporting LGBT pride.[33][34] The party stated it opposed "homophobia and anti-gay violence".[35]

In October 2009, Yosef pledged his formal support to Tatchell's General Election parliamentary candidacy, calling for the left to "embrace a mutual personal and political commitment towards equality and human rights".[36][37][38]

Trivial

In October 2007, Yosef was included in Ikonz magazine's special Halloween photo shoot, in which he was transformed into a The Crow. He was featured alongside actors from television soap Hollyoaks and presenters from the BBC Asian Network.[39]

In March 2008, he was included in the top 50 most eligible bachelors list for Asian Woman magazine.[40]

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Faces behind the faith". – BBC. July 2005.
  3. ↑ "Mosque's Bigley shrine wrecked (Home news)". – The Sun. 13 October 2004.
  4. ↑ "Bigley tribute destroyed at mosque". – Reuters. 31 October 2004.
  5. ↑ "Condolences book stolen from mosque". – Sunday Mercury. 14 March 2004.
  6. ↑ "Police probe Mosque's condolence book theft". – Reuters. 15 March 2004.
  7. ↑ "Из мечети Бирмингема украдена книга соболезнований Кеннету Бигли". – Lenta.Ru. 15 March 2004.
  8. ↑ "Hunt is on for Bigley body". – Metro. 13 October 2004.
  9. ↑ "Faces behind the faith". – BBC. 18 July 2005.
  10. ↑ "Elect Salma Yaqoob for Hall Green MP". – Official Facebook campaign group. May 2010.
  11. ↑ "Help Adam raise money for St Basils". – Salma Yaqoob. 3 December 2010.
  12. ↑ Judd, Terri (1 February 2007). "Birmingham's Muslims fear reprisals after anti-terror raids". London: – The Independent.
  13. ↑ "A new kind of terror comes to these shores". – The Scotsman. 1 February 2007.
  14. ↑ "Anger over anti-British hate posters". – Birmingham Mail. 24 May 2007.
  15. ↑ "Anti-British stickers spark protests". – Birmingham Post. 24 May 2007.
  16. ↑ "Muslim party in posters denial". – Birmingham Mail. 25 May 2007.
  17. ↑ "Volunteers to sleep out in Digbeth to raise plight of homeless". – Birmingham Mail. 3 December 2010.
  18. ↑ "I Am Birmingham: About". – I Am Birmingham. May 2010.
  19. ↑ "I Am Birmingham: Meet the Team". – I Am Birmingham. May 2010.
  20. ↑ "Birmingham LGBT stars sought for films". – Midlands Zone. 6 September 2010.
  21. ↑ "Filling the gaps: how citizen journalism is replacing local press". – The Journalism Foundation. 6 December 2011.
  22. ↑ "Punched in the face and attacked four times within five minutes". – The Asian Today. August 2011.
  23. ↑ "Why I stand against hate, why I stand with Brummies". – BBC. July 2004.
  24. ↑ "The Power of Protest". – BBC. March 2005.
  25. ↑ "Painting the town white – Making Poverty History". – BBC. July 2005.
  26. ↑ "March on Gleneagles – Peace amidst violence". – BBC. July 2005.
  27. ↑ "In a world of excess, Ramadan is welcomed by many who wish to evaluate and change their monotonous and unfulfilling daily routine". – Birmingham Mail. September 2008.
  28. 1 2 "Official Statement from Adam Yosef". – Desi Xpress. January 2006. Archived from the original on 6 February 2006.
  29. ↑ "Axe grinder 20.01.06". – Press Gazette. 20 January 2006.
  30. ↑ UK Indymedia – Peter Tatchell attacks Muslim journalist!
  31. ↑ "More Islamophobic crap from Tribune". – Islamophobia Watch. 20 January 2006.
  32. ↑ "Vitriolic attack on gay-rights campaigner". – Green Party. 24 January 2006.
  33. ↑ "Pride-The Real Rainbow". – BBC. May 2005.
  34. ↑ "Birmingham Pride". – BBC. 25 May 2009.
  35. ↑ "Galloway activist urges: assault Tatchell". – Indymedia. 20 January 2006.
  36. ↑ "Muslim "homophobe" backs Tatchell's bid to be MP". GScene Magazine. 23 October 2009.
  37. ↑ "Muslim 'Homophobe' Endorses Activist MP Candidate". – DNA Magazine. 26 October 2009.
  38. ↑ "Muslim "homophobe" backs Gay Rights Activist". – Gay UK News. 21 October 2009.
  39. ↑ "Hollyoaks Stars photoshoot for Brit Asian Magazine". – Ethnic Now. 11 October 2007.
  40. ↑ "Asian Woman Top 50 2008 Bachelors". – Asian Woman. March 2008.

External links

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