Far right activist arrested over anti-Semitic tweets sent to Merseyside MP Luciana Berger
Joshua Bonehill says he is "completely innocent"
A far-right activist has been arrested on suspicion of sending a string of anti-Semitic messages sent to a Merseyside MP.
Joshua Bonehill, 22, whose website advertises an anti-Jewish rally organised for Stamford Hill, north London, next month, was arrested following allegations of abusive messages being sent to Labour MP Luciana Berger.
Ms Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree and shadow minister for public health, has previously called on Twitter to do more to stop online abuse after receiving 2,500 anti-Semitic tweets in just three days last year.
Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 22-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment and malicious communications at an address in Yeovil, Somerset, on Friday.
A Met Police spokesman added: “Officers investigating allegations of malicious communications sent to a Member of Parliament via a social-media network have arrested a man.
“He was bailed to a west London police station until the end of March.”
The spokesman said the man was also arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.
Their investigation into malicious communications was launched after an allegation was made to police on October 21, 2014.
Hackney Borough Police also took to Twitter to confirm the arrest, writing: “We can confirm a 22 year old man from Yeovil was arrested by Hackney officers investigating allegations of inciting racial hatred.
“The man has been bailed with conditions. Any breach of those bail conditions will be dealt with appropriately and proportionately.”
Mr Bonehill wrote about his arrest on his self-titled blog and said he was ‘completely shocked and traumatised by the incident’.
He also claimed that his bail conditions prevent him from travelling inside the M25 – meaning he could be unable to attend the Stamford Hill protest if it goes ahead.
He wrote: “The police officers told me that I was to be arrested for one count of racial hate, one count of political harassment and one count of malicious communications, at this point, I could only assume that it was to do with liberate Stamford Hill.
“In other words, I have been banned from London and this is due to last until the 26th of March 2015.”
The ‘Liberate Stamford Hill’ protest has been advertised on social media as the ‘Jewification of Great Britain’. It has been planned for March 22.
Ms Berger declined to make a comment.
Mr Bonehill told the ECHO he was “completely innocent”.
He said: “On Friday I was arrested by both Hackney and Heathrow police forces in connection with charges of racial hatred and malicious communications.
“I am completely innocent and have not sent one single tweet to Luciana Berger that could be described as criminal, although I fully support and agree with the campaign that was waged against Luciana.”
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