The approval of a decision that exonerated a Labour councillor accused of inciting violence against protesters has incited furious criticism from Nigel Farage, who labeled it as an “outrageous example of two-tier justice”.
Ricky Jones was caught on camera during an anti-racism rally held in Walthamstow, East London. At the demonstration, following the Southport murders last summer, he was seen making a gesture mimicking a throat-slashing movement.
He branded far-right demonstrators as “disgusting Nazi fascists” and said “we need to cut their throats”.
But Jones has now been found not guilty of one count of encouraging violent disorder following just over 30 minutes of jury deliberation.
Reform UK leader Mr Farage said: “This is another outrageous example of two-tier justice.”
According to Zia Yusuf, who heads the Reform’s Department of Government Efficiency, “The UK has become a place where those aligned with specific political views can overtly incite violence against opponents, be captured on video, and yet escape legal repercussions.”
“A watershed moment in British politics.”
Addressing the issue on X, former Tory Housing Secretary James Cleverly stated: “This is entirely unacceptable. Such distorted rulings fuel public anger and reinforce the perception that there is no impartial criminal justice system.”
The protest, which Jones, 58, attended in August of the previous year, was in response to the killings of Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; Bebe King, six; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, in Southport.
The representative for Dartford, Kent, was told by his party to stay away but attended regardless before being suspended.
During a court hearing today, prosecutor Ben Holt said: “Last summer, three young girls were killed at a dance-themed party in Southport.
“There was some hysteria… Some of that grief manifested itself in anger, and regrettably, violence.”
The horror brought out counter-protests, one of which Jones decided to go to, the prosecutor explained.
Mr Holt continued: “He attended in the face of considered advice not to do so.
“During that event, he made a speech, amplified through a public address system, to the crowd.
“He called the other side disgusting Nazi fascists. He said that their throats needed to be slit.
“He drew his finger along his throat as he said that.
“This, in a setting where, we suggest, violence could readily have been anticipated.
“We ask rhetorically, what did Mr Jones think was going to happen?”
Jones later told police his speech was a response to seeing stickers planted on trains by far-right group National Front.
He claimed they contained concealed razor blades and included the words: “National Front Rights for Whites”.
The councillor also apologised for the comments but said they were not meant to be “taken literally”.
Following the video of his speech being shared, Jones received a message telling him he was “on BBC News”.
Jones was said to have appeared “satisfied” and told the contact: “I served”.
He also co-authored a declaration on behalf of Labour, that read: “There is no excuse for what we’ve seen. No possible justification.
“This represents senseless criminal violence, spurred and carried out by far-right elements promoting their divisive and destructive agendas both on the streets and online.”
The court heard Labour had sent out an “instructive” email referring to the Southport rallies taking place across the UK at the time.
It told its councillors to “follow the clear advice” issued by police, which urged anyone “not to take part in, attend, or encourage others to attend any sort of demonstration or counter demonstration”.
But Jones alegedly chose to “ignore” the advice, with the video showing him making a “conscious” decision to take to the stage and ask an aide to film his speech.
In his evidence, Jones described the mood in the crowd at the time as “happy and joyful”.
The father-of-four and grandfather also told the court he felt “horrified” after realising what he had said.
“When I had time to view the footage after the demonstration, I was shocked at what I had actually said,” he told jurors.
