Ex-Labour councillor remanded in custody following Walthamstow video

A former Labour councillor has been remanded in custody after he was charged with encouraging violence while addressing a crowd during an anti-fascist protest in Walthamstow on Wednesday.

Ricky Jones, 57, was wearing a Hugo Boss T-shirt and entered no pleas at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

He was arrested on Thursday and charged with encouraging violent disorder after a video emerged in which he appeared to call for far-right protesters’ throats to be “cut” during the east London demonstration the previous day.

Deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said: “It is alleged that using a microphone you addressed a crowd at an anti-fascist protest and, talking about others you described as ‘disgusting Nazi fascists’, you said ‘we need to cut their throats and get rid of them’.

“The Crown says that those words were capable of encouraging others to commit acts of serious violence, and further that you believed that your words would encourage violence against others.”

Jones was remanded in custody to next appear at Inner London Crown Court on September 6.

Ahead of the councillor’s appearance in court, Jaswant Narwal, chief crown prosecutor for north London, reminded the public not to prejudice court proceedings.

Ms Narwal added: “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Jones, who has been a councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, has already been suspended by the Labour Party.

In reference to the video, a Labour spokesperson said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.”