A suspended Labor councilor has been arrested after allegedly saying at a protest that fascists needed to have their throats slit.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest in a tweet which included the original video of Ricky Jones, a local councilor in Dartford, Kent, appearing to make the comments.
The force said: “Officers arrested a man aged in his 50s at an address in south-east London.
“He was detained on suspicion of encouraging murder and for an offense under the Public Order Act. He is in custody at a police station in south London.”
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In the clip played by police, a man tells a crowd: “They are disgusting Nazis and we need to slit all their throats and get rid of them all.”
Protesters stood on the sidewalk in the road behind him and held signs that read: “Crush fascism and racism by any means necessary.”
The comments refer to people who took part in violent riots and riots in towns across the country, who saw a mosque damaged in Southport and hotels housing asylum seekers raided.
Labor previously confirmed Jones was suspended by the party in relation to the video.
This means he will no longer be able to serve as a Labor councilor as he has had the Labor whip removed, so he will act as an independent.
A Labor spokesman said: “This behavior is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“The councilor was suspended from the party.”
Protesters gathered in Walthamstow, east London, on Wednesday in a bid to quell the violent disorder, which has led to more than 480 arrests, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Speaking after the anti-racism rally in Walthamstow, Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley told broadcasters: “It all happened very peacefully last night – in some places some local criminals turned up and tried to create a bit of anti-racism behaviour. social, and we arrested some of them.”
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