Labour councillor ‘horrified' by own cutting throats comment at rally, jury told

Independent

19 hours ago

A Labour councillor who called at an anti-racism rally for far-right activists' throats to be cut has told a jury he felt 'horrified' after realising what he had said.
In the wake of rioting after the Southport murders last summer, Ricky Jones, 58, described far-right activists as 'disgusting Nazi fascists', his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
He told jurors on Wednesday that his comment did not refer to far-right protesters involved in the riots at the time, but to those who had reportedly left National Front stickers on a train with razor blades hidden behind them.
A video showing Jones addressing the crowd in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year, went viral on social media after the protest.
Wearing a black polo top and surrounded by cheering supporters, the councillor said: 'You've got women and children using these trains during the summer holidays.
'They don't give a shit about who they hurt.
'They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.'
He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd.
Jones, who at the time worked as an official for the Transport Salaried Staff's Association (TSSA) union, later sent an edited version of his speech video to union members, the court heard.
Asked by his defence barrister, Hossein Zahir KC, why he edited the video, Jones replied: 'When I had time to view the footage after the demonstration, I was shocked at what I had actually said.
'I was horrified.
'Under no circumstances did I want to portray that to anybody, so I edited that last bit out.'
The unedited video was eventually posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, where it attracted millions of views, the trial heard.
Jones told jurors he felt 'very emotional and very upset' after receiving pictures, the day before the rally, of National Front stickers that had been left on a train, which had razor blades hidden behind them – supposedly so that people who tried to remove the stickers would injure themselves.
He had also received reports from union members that more razor blades had been found stuck between seats, Jones added.
'I was very concerned about what had happened on the train.
'I was thinking, this (the speech) is a good opportunity to raise what happened.'
The father-of-four and grandfather described the mood in the crowd at the time as 'happy and joyful', adding: 'There clearly wasn't any upset or anger from any people in that scene, because they clearly knew it was about what happened on the train.'
Prosecutor Ben Holt, cross-examining, told the defendant: 'Your words about slitting people's throats were not cheerful or happy.'
Jones replied: 'I totally agree, I'm ashamed.'
The defendant however denied intending to encourage violence towards far-right protesters.
'What violence could have anyone caused to those people in the train?' Jones said.
'It was nonsensical – I didn't believe there was a risk.'
Jones, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by the Labour Party the day after the alleged incident.
He was arrested on August 8 last year and interviewed at Brixton Police Station that night.
The demonstration had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau.
It followed the disorder in parts of the UK last summer after the Southport murders.
Jones, of Dartford, denies one count of encouraging violent disorder.
The trial continues.