Latest editorial
Labour councillor Ricky Jones leaves Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London, August 12, 2025
A LABOUR councillor who called for far-right activists’ throats to be cut at an anti-racism rally following the Southport murders was found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder today.
Ricky Jones faced trial accused of the offence after he described the demonstrators as “disgusting Nazi fascists.”
A video showing Jones addressing crowds in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year went viral on social media.
The 58-year-old, at the time employed as a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) union, was arrested and suspended by the Labour Party the following day.
Giving evidence in his trial, he said 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.
Jurors deliberated for just over half an hour at Snaresbrook Crown Court before reaching the verdict.
Former National Education Union general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “Ricky said something stupid and really out-of-character for him last August; but it was never going to lead to violence in the circumstances of that joyful community mobilisation.
“The prosecution attempted to make the case that Ricky really wanted to incite violence and that he believed it would happen.
“That charge was always fantastical and really should never have been brought.
“The jury obviously saw the weakness of the prosecution’s case and the strength of the defence because their unanimous verdict was delivered in less than 30 minutes.
“Please remember that Ricky has already served months in jail on remand and then more months on a curfew.”
Relatives and supporters of the Filton 24 to gather on Saturday outside the Imperial War Museum in London in support for the activists and the people of Gaza
