Labour councillor who called for far-right protesters' throats to be cut was acting out of character, friend tells court
Ricky Jones, 58, appeared at an anti-racism rally last year in the wake of rioting following the Southport murders, where he described demonstrators as 'disgusting Nazi fascists', his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.
A video of Jones addressing crowds 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 now-suspended councillor said: '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.
Giving evidence on Thursday, Jones's friend Kevin Courtney, a retired teacher and former joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: 'I had not heard him say those words or anything in any way similar to that.
'I think they are wrong. I was surprised that Ricky said them... I think it is completely out of character.'
Both men have campaigned for anti-racism group Stand Up To Racism and have been at rallies together before, the court heard.
Mr Courtney had been at the August 7 rally in Walthamstow, had met Jones and the pair had taken a selfie together, but Mr Courtney told the court he did not hear what Jones had said and only became aware of it when he saw videos later.
Asked by Hossein Zahir KC, defending, whether Jones had ever encouraged any form of violence, Mr Courtney said: 'No, it was a complete shock when I saw that video.'
'Ricky's speech was wrong, but it didn't fit at all with the mood of the gathering that we were at. The mood was peaceful...Ricky's words just didn't gel with that at all.'
The retired teacher added: 'Ricky's words didn't fit with that (mood), therefore people didn't respond to them as anything they should do, it just didn't fit with that at all.'
The August 7 demonstration had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau, jurors were told.
It followed the nationwide violent disorder that occurred last summer after the Southport murders.
Before the protest, the councillor had been warned to stay away from such demonstrations by the Labour Party.
Jones previously told the court he would 'have attended anyway' despite this, adding: 'It's important for us to turn up to demonstrations like this to support our communities.'
The 58-year-old, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was arrested on August 8 last year and interviewed at Brixton Police Station that night.
Jones, of Dartford, denies one count of encouraging violent disorder.
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