A man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill Nigel Farage. It comes after a post on social media warned the Reform UK leader: “I am going to shoot you in the head if you win.”
The alleged threat was posted on X on May 8, the day after the local and mayoral elections. A person then allegedly responded to Mr Farage’s tweets with further threats to life after the Reform leader celebrated the party’s local election success online.
The Metropolitan Police arrested a man on July 14 on suspicion of sending a threatening communication. He was interviewed before being released on bail pending further inquiries, which will include examination of devices he used.
This comes after Reform UK called for stricter security protections following the alleged murder of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe in her Devon home.
Mr Farage told The Telegraph: “This is the first time the police have ever proactively acted on a social media post and I hope they are looking at the other three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone.
“This has been going on for years, not just words but videos of people firing guns and so on, and in the past we have put multiple reports in to the police, always to be told that these social media posts don’t meet the threshold, which is extraordinary.”
He also referenced alleged threats from Jo Brand to throw battery acid in his face and Noel Fielding “telling people to stab me”.
The Reform leader said that if the police “decide to act to protect the lives of serving and ex politicians, then at least something good will have come out of Ann’s horrific death”.
The 78-year-old was found with serious injuries at her home in Haytor on Thursday, following a suspected attack the previous day.
Devon and Cornwall Police first said there was nothing to suggest a political motive, before the case was handed over to terrorism police following the discovery of new information.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said a counter-terrorism investigation was “running in parallel” to the murder investigation but the suspected killing “has not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage”.
He added: “It is clear that this was a targeted attack. We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack. I wouldn’t want to comment on what that motivation was.”
A white British man, 28, was arrested on Saturday. He was re-arrested on Monday on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The Express has approached the Metropolitan Police for comment.
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