IRISH radio host George Hook has sparked fury on social media by claiming he has a soft spot for the late fascist dictator and friend of Hitler, Francisco Franco.
The controversial presenter took to Twitter on Wednesday to defend the right-wing Spanish tyrant – who died in 1975 aged 82 – calling him his "favourite benevolent dictator".
Hook, 76, wrote: “Neutrality, tourism, the monarchy and look what happened after he was gone? Compare with (former Yugoslavian president) Tito.
“Interesting the retrospective on Franco when one considers how many Irish travelled there on holiday during his time in charge.
“Franco is my favourite ‘benevolent dictator’."
There have now been calls for the Cork native to be taken off the airwaves just weeks after he returned to Newstalk for suggesting a British rape victim might share some of the "blame" for her attack.
Following a raft of complaints from his followers, Hook said: “I know what Franco was, the question to be asked is how is the world to be governed and those who ignore history live to repeat it.
Francisco Franco before the civil war, still in his Republican General uniform. pic.twitter.com/AygaUMK7RQ
— Fascistball has awakened (@Fascistball_lV) January 25, 2018
Eoin O'Duffy
leader of the Monaghan Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the War of Independence.Anti-communist,He raised the Irish Brigade to fight for Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War .? pic.twitter.com/M4ZAy9weGj
— Gem (@TeineSidh) January 28, 2018
“The question is not what Franco, Tito and Stalin were. The question is what happened after their deaths. Spain became a better place, Russia did not.”
Hook later noted that Irish President Michael D Higgins almost completely escaped criticism for expressing grief at the death of Cuba’s former Communist dictator Fidel Castro.
He added: “Interesting we had the President of Ireland comment favourably on a dictator without Twitter outrage. Is discussion now to be limited only to those topics that are acceptable to Twitter.””
But Solidarity local councillor Michael O’Brien said the 76-year-old presenter is not fit to be on air.
O'Brien wrote in response: “George Hook’s praise on Twitter a short few moments ago for the former Spanish dictator General Franco demonstrate he is unfit to broadcast.
“[Franco’s] regime post the Spanish Civil war was marked by mass executions, forced labour and medical experiments accompanied by cultural, linguistic and women’s oppression.”
George Hook returned to Newstalk on January 6 following almost four months on suspension for his controversial rape comments.
The broadcaster, who enjoyed huge success with his former show High Noon, now hosts the new Hook’s Saturday Sit-In slot from 8am to 10am every Saturday.
