Adam Yosef

Adam Yosef (born 1981) is a British journalist and community activist.

Background

Yosef was born in Birmingham and is of Muslim background.

Community work

Yosef worked at the Birmingham Mosque Trust where duties included PR work for the trust and Dr Mohammad Naseem.

He is co-founder of the interfaith Saltley Gate Peace Group, Community & Interfaith Liaison Officer for the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition and was Press Officer for Salma Yaqoob, a Respect - The Unity Coalition candidate in the 2005 election.

He has been actively involved in community work related to the Lozells riots, the Alum Rock terror raids and campaigning against radical groups in the Midlands.

Journalism

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

He also writes for BBC Online and works closely with BBC Birmingham, with work highlighting issues of socio-politics, diversity, culture, racism and religion.

In 2007, Yosef was appointed sub editor of entertainment magazine "Ikonz".

Controversy

LGBT Community

Pride

In June 2005 he published a report of the Pride parade that passed through Birmingham on the BBC Birmingham website. Yosef wrote "I didn't see it as just a celebration of gay identity. I certainly didn't see it as an attempt, acknowledgement or celebration of the acceptance of the gay and lesbian community". He went on to say "to have streets crammed with so many different people all enjoying themselves and accepting each other is, to me, what pride represents." [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/06/02/pride_the_real_rainbow_gay_village_feature.shtml]

Civil partnerships

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 [http://desixpress.co.uk/statement.aspx] .

Peter Tatchell

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 apologised [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331187.html?c=on#c139327] , saying that the reference to Australia was intended as a reference to the Sydney riots. [http://web.archive.org/web/20060206095537/http://desixpress.co.uk/statement.aspx]

"Tribune" magazine, allied to the left of the Labour Party, criticised Yosef and suggested his NUJ card should be withdrawn [http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/islamophobia-watch/2006/1/20/more-islamophobic-crap-from-tribune.html] . He was further described as "bigoted" by "Progress" magazine, which is allied to the modernising section of the Labour Party [http://www.progressives.org.uk/magazine/Default.asp?action=magazine&articleid=986] and criticised by the Green Party [http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2381] , of which Tatchell is a member. Respect defended Yosef [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331831.html?c=on#c145370] , saying he has "the right to voice his own opinions".

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.

In February 2008, he was included in the top 50 bachelor list for Asian Woman magazine.

References

* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/2008/02/25/man-20-critical-after-shooting-in-shop-65233-20521371/ Man, 20, 'critical' after shooting in shop] - Birmingham Post, February 2008
* [http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2008/02/25/man-gunned-down-in-shop-97319-20520670/ Man gunned down in shop] - Birmingham Mail, February 2008
* [http://www.asianimage.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1925167.mostviewed.presents_donated_to_childrens_hospital.php Presents donated to children's hospital] - Asian Image, December 2007
* [http://www.ethnicnow.com/channels/tv-radio-media/press-release/10/1716/multi-faith-santas-bear-gifts-for-childrens-hospital.html Multi-faith Santas bear gifts for Children's Hospital] - Ethnic Now, December 2007
* [http://www.asiansinmedia.org/2007/10/16/ikonz-mag-dresses-up-for-halloween/ Ikonz mag dresses up for Halloween] - Asians in Media, November 2007
* [http://www.dholaholic.com/news/126/ARTICLE/1286/2007-10-08.html Kreepy. Kooky. Spooky. Ooky.] - Dholaholic.com, November 2007
* [http://www.ethnicnow.com/channels/editors-choice/press-release/1/1560/hollyoaks-stars-photoshoot-for-brit-asian-magazine.html Hollyoaks Stars photoshoot for Brit Asian Magazine] - Ethnic Now, November 2007
* [http://www.myparkmag.co.uk/articles/television/hollyoaks/hollyoaks-goes-creepy.html Hollyoaks goes creepy] - MyPark Magazine, October 2007
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_headline=anger-over-anti-british-hate-posters&method=full&objectid=19184248&siteid=50002-name_page.html Anger over anti-British hate posters] - Birmingham Mail, May 2007
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_headline=anti-british-stickers-spark-protests&method=full&objectid=19187228&siteid=50002-name_page.html Anti-British stickers spark protests] - The Birmingham Post, May 2007
* [http://www.birminghammail.net/news/tm_headline=muslim-party-in-posters-denial&method=full&objectid=19195934&siteid=50002-name_page.html Muslim party in posters denial] - Birmingham Mail, May 2007
* [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk/A-new-kind-of-terror.3342957.jp A new kind of terror comes to these shores] - The Scotsman, February 2007
* [http://www.iwitness.co.uk/index.php/2007/02/02/anger-over-media-kidnap-plot-coverage/ Anger Over Media ‘Kidnap Plot’ Coverage] - The iWitness, February 2007
* [http://www.theasiantoday.com/article.aspx?articleId=239 Birmingham rocked by terror raids] - The Asian Today, February 2007
* [http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2204084.ece Birmingham's Muslims fear reprisals after anti-terror raids] - The Independent, February 2007
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6320021.stm Terror arrests anger community] - BBC News, February 2007
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=18560048%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Terror arrests: A call for calm] - Birmingham Post, February 2007
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_headline=community-leaders-fear-raids-could-be-%2Ddamaging%2D%26method=full%26objectid=18559726%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Community leaders fear raids could be 'damaging'] - Birmingham Mail, February 2007
* [http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/islamophobia-watch/2006/1/17/the-witch-hunt-against-adam-yosef.html The witch-hunt against Adam Yosef] - Islamophobia Watch, January 2006
* [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331831.html?c=on#c139904 In-depth media links and reference on Peter Tatchell controversy] - January 2006
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/07/15/faces_behind_the_faith_feature.shtml Faces behind the Faith] - BBC, August 2005
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/07/26/adam_g8_feature.shtml March on Gleneagles, Peace amidst violence] - BBC, July 2005
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/07/05/adam_mph_edinburgh_feature.shtml Painting the town white - Making Poverty History] - BBC, July 2005
* [http://www1.thny.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/06/02/pride_the_real_rainbow_gay_village_feature.shtml Pride - The Real Rainbow] - BBC, July 2005
* [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6452 A Moral Victory] - Socialist Worker, 2005
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/03/23/power_of_protest_community_feature.shtml The Power of Protest] , BBC, March 2005
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mail/content_objectid=14054862_method=full_siteid=50002_headline=-Police-probe-Mosque-s-condolence-book-theft-name_page.html Police probe Mosque's condolence book theft] - Birmingham Mail, March 2004
* [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mercury/content_objectid=14052078_method=full_siteid=50002_headline=-Condolences-book-stolen-from-mosque-name_page.html Condolences book stolen from mosque] - Sunday Mercury, March 2004
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/your_community/2004/04/le_pen/against_hate.shtml Why I stand against hate, why I stand with Brummies] - BBC, April 2004
* [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/reuters/2004/10/13/topnews/bigleytributedestroyedatmosque.html Bigley tribute destroyed at mosque] - Reuters, October 2004
* [http://lenta.ru/world/2004/10/13/book/ Из мечети Бирмингема украдена книга соболезнований Кеннету Бигли] - Lenta (Russian), October 2004
* [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=775 ‘People feel sky-high at Respect’s campaign’] - Socialist Worker, July 2004
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/faith/2003/10/radio_ramadhan_brum.shtml Radio Ramadhan] - BBC, November 2003
* [http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=adam+yosef&uri=%252F&scope=all&go=toolbar Adam Yosef on the BBC]