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The MP for Bow and Bethnal Green, George Galloway has been deported from Egypt.
The Respect party member was apparently trying to enter Gaza with a humanitarian convoy.
According to the 'Viva Palestine' spokeswoman, the convoy had been arrested at the Rafah crossing point - plain clothed officers identified Galloway, police bungled him into a vehicle and drove off before putting him on a plain back to London. Galloway seemingly ignored official Foreign Office advice for British Nationals not to join the attempted relief convoy, around 520 people were travelling with the 150 trucks when clashes broke out, reportedly injuring British delegations.
She added: "Mr Galloway had been trying to return to Rafah after news broke that seven of the convoy members are said to have been arrested." Galloway was part of a large group of Western activists who have been traveling from Britain for nearly a month and had entered the crossing on Wednesday. An earlier statement said they were expected to spend forty-eight hours distributing the aid supplies and offer relief to one of the worlds more deprived and overpopulated areas.
Contrast to Israeli crossing
The heavy-handed response by the Egyptian police and their watertight stranglehold over the border stands in contrast to the Israeli authorities who allow hundreds of trucks to enter the strip.
This is not the Scottish firebrand politician’s first brush with the Egyptian authorities; Mr Galloway spent the night in a cell in Egypt in 2006 after attending an anti-war event.
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