Mehdi Hasan responds to Ryan Girdusky's CNN comment about beeper

Veteran broadcaster says 'never, in my 25 years as a journalist and 15 years of doing live TV, have I been so stunned by what was said to me that I had to walk off set'

Mehdi Hasan appeared on the US network to take part in a debate on the war in Gaza. Getty Images via AFP

Broadcast journalist Mehdi Hasan responded on Monday to an incident on CNN in which a fellow member of a panel in which he was taking part said he hoped Hasan's “beeper doesn't go off”.

“I have interviewed, debated, sparred with, controversial, opinionated, offensive people from across the world,” Hasan said on his Zeteo network.

“But never, never, in my 25 years as a journalist and 15 years of doing live TV, have I been so stunned by what was said to me that I had to walk off set in the middle of a live show.”

During a panel discussion on CNN focused on Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally at the weekend, Ryan Girdusky said the journalist had been accused of being anti-Semitic “more than any of us at this table”.

Hasan replied that, as a “supporter of Palestinians”, he was used to the accusation. Girdusky then made the comment about the beeper, a reference to a wide-ranging attack carried out by Israel against Hezbollah in Lebanon that caused thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies to explode.

“In his head, when he hears 'Palestinian', he hears 'Hamas',” Hasan said. “When he sees a Muslim in front of him, he sees Hamas.

“That's how bold these Maga [Make America Great Again] Republicans have become with their racism. That's the permission structure Trump and fans have created.

“To be clear, because of her refusal to budge even an inch on Gaza, [Kamala] Harris morally deserves to lose,” Hasan added, but the alternative is an “anti-Semitic, Islamophobic” president in Mr Trump.

Hasan said that, after the incident on CNN, a friend had asked him if he found it “emotionally taxing” to face bigotry, or if it was “par for the course at this point”.

“Sadly, we Muslims don't have thicker skins than everyone else, nor should we have to have thicker skins than everyone else,” he said. “We're human beings. So of course, it's emotionally taxing. That's the whole point. That's why they do it.

“Racism is about not just dehumanising you, but demoralising and depressing.”

Addressing viewers, he said he would continue to speak out against bigotry and racism and “so should you”.

Previously, Hasan hosted The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC, but he left the network in January after the channel cancelled his Sunday night programme the previous November.

The decision to cancel the show drew condemnation from progressives who accused the channel of silencing one of the few US Muslim broadcast personalities. He had taken a highly critical stance on Israel's military operations in Gaza.

He went on to found media organisation Zeteo.