US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has been criticised after he apparently mocked a disabled journalist by waving his arm around during a speech.
The billionaire businessman who owns the Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire and the Trump International Links course in Aberdeenshire's alleged behaviour was branded 'outrageous' by Serge Kovaleski's employer The New York Times.
Mr Trump, who is hoping to win the Republican nomination, seemed to imitate his congenital joints condition Arthrogryposis by waving his arm around and holding his hand in front of his chest like a claw.
The incident reportedly took place in South Carolina, as he was criticising the reporter who had disputed his claims thousands of Muslims celebrated September 11 2001 terrorist attacks.
Mr Kovaleski said this week he did not recall reports at the time of the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, suggesting this was the case.
He had authored a report in the Washington Post, which he then worked for which suggested people were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks on rooftops. It was this claim that Mr Trump picked up on.
Mr Trump said during the speech: “Now the poor guy. You ought to see the guy: ‘Err, I don’t know what I said. I don’t remember.’
“He’s going: ‘I don’t remember. Maybe that’s what I said.’”
Mr Kovaleski responded:“The sad part about it is, it didn’t in the slightest bit jar or surprise me that Donald Trump would do something this low-rent, given his track record
A spokesman for the New York Times said: “We think it’s outrageous that he would ridicule the appearance of one of our reporters.”
Mr Trump did not comment, but sent Tweets attacking the newspaper.
In one, he said it was a failing newspaper which should concentrate on financial surviv and "not with constant hits on Donald Trump!"
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