Harry Styles’ sister condemns Azealia Banks' racist and homophobic Twitter tirade against Zayn Malik

'This to me is not an example of someone venting frustration in an understandable format but a bigot and a bully showing her true colours,' says Styles

The 25-year-old journalist said Banks’ public apology for her actions was inadequate and did not go far enough (Getty)

Harry Styles’ sister has lambasted Azealia Banks' vitriolic Twitter tirade against Zayn Malik and a 14-year-old Disney actress.

Just under two weeks ago, Banks targeted Malik with a series of homophobic and racist insults and called Skai Jackson a “black little b***h” and advised her to have plastic surgery.

The controversial remarks triggered an unprecedented backlash on social media. Banks was suspended from Twitter and dropped from a headline slot at Rinse FM’s Born & Bred Festival in East London.

Writing in her weekly column for The Debrief, Gemma Styles has condemned Banks’ comments and called her a “bigot and a bully”.

The 25-year-old journalist said Banks’ public apology for her actions was inadequate and did not go far enough.

“Azealia Banks, the latest example of a public Twitter meltdown, didn't just blow her top, she went on a vile, bilge-spilling tirade of homophobic abuse and racist slurs - among other things,” Gemma wrote.

“This to me is not an example of someone venting frustration in an understandable format, but a bigot and a bully showing her true colours”.

To the upset of many fans, Malik left in March 2015 and has since gone on to pursue solo material. The rest of One Direction, including Harry, went on hiatus at the end of last year.

“She might have said sorry now," Gemma said in her comment piece. "But I think Banks' apology is more of a 'sorry I said it in public' sort of apology. This is the kind of behaviour that shouldn't be tolerated, celebrity or not”.

“While I'm always for appreciating the back story behind a person's actions and try to show some understanding, there's no upset here that warrants the kind of language she used,” she added. “While some celebrities are judged too harshly and deserve a little more empathy, there's no empathy I can see here - sometimes an Instagram sorry just isn't enough.”

Banks attacked Malik in a protracted Twitter tangent, calling him a “curry scented b***h” and writing, “Imma start calling you punjab you dirty b**ch”.

After at first refusing to apologise, on 15 May she posted an apology to her Instagram account. “I want to extend my sincerest apologies to the world,” she wrote. “Employing racial/sexual slurs/stereotypes in attempts to make fun of or degrade another person or group is absolutely unacceptable and is not fair or fun for anyone.”

A representative for Banks and Gemma did not immediately respond to request for comment.