As the UK is grappling with anti-immigration protests, the courts have started to jail people for social media posts against asylum seekers. This comes after the newly elected Labour government announced a massive crackdown on freedom of speech, saying that anyone inciting protests and violence against immigrants will be jailed.
After that, the courts moved first and awarded jail sentences to several accused arrested for their social media posts. Over a dozen people were jailed yesterday for allegedly inciting violence on social media. The first person to be jailed for a social media post is Jordan Parlour of Seacroft, Leeds, who has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for allegedly inciting people to target a hotel housing immigrants.
He had written on Facebook early this month, “every man and his dog should smash [the] f*** out of Britannia hotel”. He was sentenced after he pleaded guilty of publishing written material intended to stir racial hatred. While the hotel was attacked by protestors, these is no evidence that it was incited by Jordan Parlour’s post which had only 6 likes.
Another person Tyler Kay was jailed for 38 months after his social media post with a similar message, calling for torching hotels housing asylum seekers. The court also cited that he retweeted tweets with similar messages. The judge said that the posts of Tyler Kay reveal his “fundamentally racist mindset.”
Richard Williams from Flintshire in Wales was sent to jail for 3 months for talking about anti-immigrant riots in a Facebook group. Jordan Plain has been jailed for 8 months for ‘racist gestures and comments’.
Many others also have been convicted and jailed for actual participation in riots and violence.
London Met Police chief threatens to arrest even people outside UK
In the meanwhile, London’s Metropolitan Police chief warned that action will be taken against people from other countries too for inciting anti-immigration protests in the UK. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said while talking to Sky News that officials will not only be cracking down on British citizens for social media posts, but even on foreigners.
The head of the Met Police intends to charge and extradite foreigners who “provoke” unrest in the UK under terrorism laws. This may include Elon Musk and any other high profile targets who break British law.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 9, 2024
Expressing harmful opinions is against the law in the UK. pic.twitter.com/Qg1sHxZ6su
He said, “If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law. And whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online, we will come after you.” The Met Police chief added, “If you’re a keyboard warrior, you’re not safe from the law if you incite violence.”
Mark Rowley hinted that they can arrest even Elon Musk if he incite violence in the UK.
The protests in the UK erupted after the killing of three girls in Southport last month, and after rumours that an asylum seeker was the culprit.
