An SNP equalities officer who said he wanted to “beat the f***” out of feminists was pictured with Nicola Sturgeon at the SNP conference. Cameron Downing appeared alongside the First Minister the day the Sunday Mail published details of his violent online outbursts – despite the party insisting hours earlier it had “no record” of him holding an office-bearing role.
The 22-year-old has now quit his role in the SNP’s London branch after JK Rowling led condemnation of his comments and Sturgeon’s apparent lack of action. In now deleted posts, Downing said he wanted to “beat the f*** out of some terfs and transphobes” and in another claimed: “I f****** hate terfs and transphobes with such a passion.”
The term terf is an abbreviation for trans-exclusionary radical feminist and is a term used against women who do not recognise the gender identity of trans women. He has been an equalities officer for the SNP’s London branch since August 2022.
