Stu Peters, the presenter suspended by Manx Radio, is being backed by an organisation set up to support freedom of speech.

Mr Peters’ June 3 phone-in show is currently being investigated by the Communications Commission.

His comments about ’white privilege’ sparked outrage among many.

The UK-based Free Speech Union has now written to the Communications Commission.

It says: ’This cannot conceivably justify any investigation by the commission.

’Surely, in challenging the idea that all white people are, by virtue of the colour of their skin, "privileged" and cannot fully grasp the problem of racism, Mr Peters was complying with the commission’s programme code, eg upholding the principle that "racist terms" and "insensitive comments", as well as "stereotypical portrayals" that might "cause offence", are unacceptable.

’Whether you agree with Mr Peters’ views or not, it is clear that he was exercising his right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Commission on Human Rights, which the Isle of Man is required to uphold under the Human Rights Act 2001.’

Mr Peters was speaking on air before a Black Lives Matters demonstration in Douglas.

He questioned why it was being held in the Isle of Man.

’I don’t understand why people on the Isle of Man are protesting in support of Black Lives Matter in America, which is 3,000 miles away,’ he said.

The island’s Black Lives Matter march was one of many around the world and was triggered by the death of African American George Floyd after a police officer crushed his neck.

The Peters controversy began off air in a post he made on the website Manx Forums.

He posted: ’I expect the protest will be in front of the US Embassy in Douglas - otherwise an IoM protest about police brutality in Murrica (USA) makes no sense except as a virtue-signalling snowstorm.’

’In other news (saw this on a graph earlier), in 2018 the USA had around 50,000 white-on-black violent crimes, compared with 400,000 black-on-black and around 550,000 black-on-white violent crimes. ALL lives matter!’

Mr Peters was questioned on air by listener Jordan Maguire, who described Mr Peters’ ’All lives matter’ comment as derogatory.

He said: ’For all lives to matter, we have to raise the people of all creeds, colours, religions to the level that white people’s privilege allows them to be.’

Mr Peters interjected: ’I’ve had no more privilege in my life than you have Jordan. I’ve had no more privilege in my life than you have. I’m a white man, you’re a black man, you say.’

Mr Maguire replied: ’If you believe that, that is what exactly white privilege is.’

He added: ’I’m not saying you haven’t endured anything in your life, but the system is built for you to win already.

’I have to go through everything in my daily life and I have to go through these things, but you don’t see so you don’t think they exist.’

The Mail on Sunday took up the story this week.

It quoted Mr Peters as saying that the decision to suspend him was and ’Orwellian attempt at mind and speech control’.

The MoS says Mr Peters added: ’How anyone can take real offence at anything I said that night, or the way I said it, is beyond comprehension, and that so many - most of whom probably haven’t even heard the show - want to see me lose my career because they imagine some slight is scary.’

We approached Mr Peters for a comment but he declined.

Manx Radio also declined to comment while the Communications Commission investigation is under way.