Complaint over Jeff Mirza's Fringe flyers

Comedian Jeff Mirza has been reported to police for inciting racial hatred for using the word ‘Paki’ in his Edinburgh show.

He was questioned at a city centre police station after handing a flyer for his show Meet Abu Hamsta and Paki Bashir to a fellow British Asian, who took offence.

However the 49-year-old told officers he was trying to ‘reclaim’ the word – and was sent on his way.

Mirza was dressed in character as a butcher called Paki Bashir while handing out leaflets on on the Royal Mile.

After the incident, he told the Daily Telegraph: ‘How on earth can I be accused of racism against my own community?’

‘My daughter at the age of four had been racially abused and for many years after I had been angry when I heard that word, but a few years ago I realised that I am a Paki and I should be proud of that. Pakistan means Land of the Pure and what’s wrong with that?

‘I have been called Paki so many times that the only thing for me was to turn it around and make people laugh with me. Black people use the N word in songs and on TV and I have never seen any of them arrested.’

Mirza said officers advised him to put his finger over the offensive word when handing out flyers in future,

Police said they would take no further action.

Published: 19 Aug 2013