A Labour MP now suspended for calling for the throats of right-wing activists to be slit has been charged with inciting a violent disorder.
Ricky Jones, 57, has been arrested and charged with inciting a violent disorder, the Crown Prosecution Service announced. The arrest follows the release of footage purportedly taken at a “Message of Peace” rally held by left-wing activists in Walthamstow on Wednesday, where a man appears to make “gestures inciting others to commit violence against far-right protesters.”
UPDATE: Police have arrested a man in his 50s, who lived at an address in south-east London.
He was detained on suspicion of incitement to murder and violating the Peace Preservation Law.
He is being held at a south London police station. https://t.co/YVuXRStZzd
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 8, 2024
Introduced to the crowd as a trade unionist and given a microphone by the protest’s organizers, the man informed attendees that he had received information from a colleague in the rail industry that razor blades were being placed on trains to injure staff and members of the public. In response to this news, the man was recorded saying, “…these people don’t care who they hurt…they are disgusting, vile fascists. We need to chop off all their heads and get rid of them all,” while making a gesture of cutting his own throat with his fingers.
Labour subsequently announced it had stripped one of its elected politicians, Kent MP Ricky Jones, of his party whip. The party said at the time: “This behaviour is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The MP has been expelled from the party.”
Following his arrest, Jones was remanded in custody until his next appearance at London Crown Court on September 6th, the Metropolitan police said in a statement on Friday.
As unrest continues across England and Wales since the mass stabbing of young children in Merseyside last Monday, the sharing of speculation and rumours online has been a constant thorn in the government’s side. The Metropolitan police on Friday specifically warned against prejudicing court proceedings and putting the justice at risk, saying “nothing should be published, including on social media”.
