The Scottish Parliament has been forced to apologise after a woman was asked to leave a Holyrood committee for wearing a suffragette-style scarf.
Presiding Officer (PO) Alison Johnstone said sorry after a Holyrood committee was suspended when three members of the public were ordered by officials to remove their purple, green and white items of clothing.
Two women removed their scarves, but a third refused and was asked to leave the meeting which was discussing the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
Johnstone told MSPs the woman was asked to take the scarf off as it breached the parliament's code of conduct, which forbids the "display of banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing".
The PO acknowledged staff were wrong and issued an apology on behalf of the parliament: "The action taken was an error, and I would like to apologise on behalf of the Parliament."
At the committee Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay raised the issue during the meeting by asking SNP convener Joe FitzPatrick for guidance on the incident.
Findlay said: "It has been noted on social media that a member of the public who was present was wearing a scarf in the colours of purple, white and green and has been asked to either removed the scarf or leave the room. Can I seek some guidance?"
FitzPatrick replied: "I am going to suspend the meeting and we will have a discussion about this in private. We are suspending the meeting."
Earlier, Twitter user @Obsolesence took to social media to explain the situation, tweeting: "I have just been asked to remove my new scarf. I refused because its lovely & inoffensive. Apparently @ScotParl believes these colours are unacceptable while several MSPs wear rainbow lanyards. @ScotParl is now policing clothing colours."
Addressing the chamber, Johnstone said the parliament "actively supports and promotes universal suffrage".
She added: "I wish to address an issue which occurred at the Equality, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee this morning which Members may be aware of, and which Members have raised with me.
"At that meeting, a visitor to the public gallery was asked to remove a purple, green and white scarf. Having declined to do so, the visitor was informed that she would not be able to return to the gallery. This request was made by officials in connection with the Parliament’s code of conduct for visitors which sets out that the display of banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing and accessories, is forbidden.
"Let me make one thing crystal clear, suffrage colours are not, and never have been, banned at the Scottish Parliament. We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood and will continue to do so.
"I would like to advise the Chamber that the action taken this morning was not prompted by any of the members of the Committee.
"The action taken was an error, and I would like to apologise on behalf of the Parliament. The wearing of a scarf in those colours does not, in itself, breach the visitor code of conduct. The Parliament wishes people to engage with the democratic process, including observing elected representatives debate and make the law of the country."
The committee voted to amend the legislation meaning those in the 16- and 17-year-old age group will need to live in their "acquired gender" for a minimum of six months rather than three before applying for a gender recognition certificate.
A new offence of making a fraudulent application for a gender recognition certificate will also be created, Social Justice Minister Shona Robison said.
At stage one last month a total of 88 members backed the legislation, with 33 against and four abstentions. Four MSPs did not vote. Despite the SNP instructing its MSPs to vote in favour of the stage one bill, seven chose to rebel and oppose it, while another two abstained.
Community safety minister Ash Regan resigned from government prior to the vote rather than supporting it.
The plans will simplify and speed up the existing process by which people can obtain a gender recognition certificate - the legal recognition of a trans person's "acquired" gender.
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