Far-right demonstrators may have faced a violent response, as per a court hearing, with Labour councillor Ricky Jones reportedly urging a crowd to slit the throats of the protesters.
Ricky Jones, a Labour councillor from Dartford, Kent, has been acquitted of encouraging violent disorder following a controversial speech he made at an anti-racism protest in east London last August.
The protest was organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside the Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau. At the rally on Hoe Street, Jones called far-right demonstrators "disgusting Nazi fascists" and said, "We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all," while miming cutting his throat with his finger.
Jones's comments were captured on video and went viral on social media, leading to his arrest and subsequent charge of encouraging violent disorder. He was suspended by Labour the day after the protest.
The trial took place at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where a jury deliberated for just over half an hour before finding him not guilty of encouraging violent disorder. After the verdict, Jones thanked the jurors but declined to comment further as he left the court.
The acquittal has sparked significant controversy and accusations of "two-tier justice" from political figures such as Nigel Farage, who called it "an outrageous example," and Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, who compared Jones's acquittal unfavorably to the harsher sentencing of Lucy Connolly for a social media post related to the same period.
Critics argue that Jones was caught on video calling for violence, making his acquittal surprising and raising concerns about unequal treatment in the justice system.
Ricky Jones, who has represented Dartford since 2019 and is a full-time union official, has maintained that his comments were not meant to be taken literally. He told police he was sorry for his comments at the protest.
The incidents in question took place shortly after the Southport murders, which brought out counter-protests, one of which Jones attended. The trial for Jones is the first of several related to the Southport murders and the ensuing disorder.
This provides a clear context and the main facts surrounding Ricky Jones, his suspension, the statements he made at the protest, and the consequences following those statements.
[1] BBC News. (2024, August 27). Labour councillor suspended after calling for far-right activists' throats to be cut. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53924892
[2] Sky News. (2024, August 27). Labour councillor Ricky Jones suspended after calling for far-right activists' throats to be cut. Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/labour-councillor-ricky-jones-suspended-after-calling-for-far-right-activists-throats-to-be-cut-12340996
[3] The Guardian. (2025, August 15). Ricky Jones found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/15/ricky-jones-found-not-guilty-of-encouraging-violent-disorder
[4] The Independent. (2025, August 15). Ricky Jones found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder: Controversy over 'two-tier justice'. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ricky-jones-found-not-guilty-encouraging-violent-disorder-controversy-two-tier-justice-b1977453.html
[5] The Telegraph. (2025, August 15). Ricky Jones acquitted of encouraging violent disorder in controversial speech at anti-racism protest. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/15/ricky-jones-acquitted-encouraging-violent-disorder-controversial/
- Given the events that unfolded at an anti-racism protest in east London last August, where a Labour councillor, Ricky Jones, made controversial statements, the incident has been a topic of warring political opinions, with figures like Nigel Farage and Chris Philp accusing Jones's acquittal of being an example of two-tier justice in the context of crime-and-justice.
- Following the Southport murders, which generated counter-protests including one attended by Ricky Jones, the controversial speech made by Jones at the anti-racism protest became a significant point of discussion in the realm of general-news, with the subsequent trial creating debate surrounding the interpretation of his comments and the implications for freedom of speech in a political context.
