Claims that Glasgow-based conference was 'cancelled' over Palestinian flag display found to be untrue
A story that a major international event had been scrapped in Glasgow due to the flying of a Palestinian flag from the City Chambers, has been confirmed by the original source to be false The Drum can reveal.
Glasgow City Chambers
An email, from the purported conference organiser, Richard Cassini read: “It is correct that no meeting was cancelled this year” backing up a statement from Glasgow City council, which yesterday told The Drum they had heard nothing to confirm any event had been cancelled by an American company.
The story, which originated in the Scottish Daily Express, was picked up by the Glasgow Herald, Evening Times and international media outlets leading to a storm of social media comment both for and against the council’s decision.
However, investigations by The Drum found no confirmation of Cassini’s claim to be the vice president of a “fortune 500 company” or of any hotel or conference reservations being made by “600 salespeople” as claimed by the businessman.
In the email Cassini conceded that no venue or accommodation had been booked for the alleged event, but insisted Glasgow was “on the shortlist” for a conference to coincide with the 2015 Edinburgh festival.
The American also claimed that the Scottish press was full of “very strong anti-Semitic articles” and that the city was an “anti-Jewish municipality.” He also stated that his company had decided to eliminate trips to France and Spain, and was "now in the process of examining Italy's eligibility”.
Cassini stressed that he would not name the "Fortune 500" company of which he claimed to be an employee, on the grounds that it would be "financial suicide" for him or his employee to divulge names of any specific information.