Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon says she will not be attending a conference in Edinburgh, because Steve Bannon has been invited.
Sturgeon was scheduled to speak at the opening event, cohosted by BBC World News.
And Bannon is due to speak on Nov. 14.
Sturgeon tweeted on Saturday about her decision to withdraw: "I will not be part of any process that risks legitimising or normalising far right, racist views."
I believe passionately in free speech but as @ScotGovFM I have to make balanced judgments - and I will not be part of any process that risks legitimising or normalising far right, racist views. I regret that the BBC has put me and others in this position. https://t.co/5x1rHZkaR9
Sturgeon says the BBC sent her office an email defending their decision, and she criticised that, too.
The email the BBC sent to my office justifying Bannon’s inclusion described him as a ‘powerful and influential figure...promoting an anti-elite movement.’ This kind of language to describe views that many would describe as fascist does seem to me to run the risk of normalisation.
People have been praising Sturgeon for her decision.
My faith in politicians gets restored every time I hear Nicola Sturgeon speaking https://t.co/DN8L0EffMS
Nicola agrees to speak at event BBC then invites a big fat racist and Sarah Smith Nicola cancels I like her style https://t.co/3oh8rD2DEd
I wish more of our politicians were as prinicipaled as Nicola Sturgeon, and refused to be associated with people like Bannon. https://t.co/Lx13fCPkBJ
Approval even came from people who said they don't usually support her.
I don't support Nicola Sturgeon but I support her decision and my respect for her has grown. https://t.co/EBBApCp5G0
I don't think I have ever retweet NS. But this is good. This is what a politician should be doing. https://t.co/uh1x379JwZ
In a statement, the BBC said Bannon was invited on behalf of the EBU's News Xchange committee.
"News Xchange is an annual EBU journalism conference which the BBC and other broadcasters support to make happen. Steve Bannon was invited on behalf of the EBU’s News Xchange committee.
"Good journalism in a world of fake news and disinformation is more vital than ever. Journalism is about asking tough questions and understanding what is happening in the world and why.
"A conference designed to analyse the big issues impacting that world isn’t an endorsement of anyone or anything — it is a function of what journalism is."
The European Broadcasting Union said:
"News Xchange is a journalism conference which seeks to explore the main industry trends and challenges delegates to understand the wider political and social context.
"Steve Bannon is a key influencer in the rise of populism — one of the dominant political trends of our times.
"He has been invited to speak at News Xchange this year because his views are relevant to today's society at large and therefore to the media industry.
"We also consider it our journalistic responsibility to share and scrutinise a range of relevant viewpoints within the framework of a balanced debate.
"He will be interviewed about his views by a BBC journalist, followed by an open Q&A with delegates."