A British court has handed down the first prison sentence for inciting racial hatred on Facebook
In the UK, the first verdict for inciting racial hatred on social media has been issued: 28-year-old Jordan Parlour received 20 months in prison for posts that provoked violence.
The Crown Court of Leeds has issued the first verdict in a case of inciting racial hatred on the social network Facebook.
The 28-year-old Jordan Parlour was found guilty and sentenced to 20 months in prison for his actions online, reports SkyNews.
This decision has set a precedent amidst the widespread riots that swept across the UK in July 2024.
Parlour, a resident of Leeds, posted on Facebook urging an attack on the Britannia Hotel, where 210 refugees were staying.
His posts incited an actual attack on the hotel, during which the perpetrators smashed windows and threw objects at the building. These actions forced the hotel administration to implement a "lockdown" to protect the residents.
Judge Guy Curl noted that Parlour deliberately used social media to incite hatred and violence, which served as an aggravating factor in the sentencing.
Parlour was not the only one in the dock. On the same day, the court sentenced two other individuals.
26-year-old Tyler Kay from Northampton was sentenced to 38 months for posts calling for mass deportations and arson of hotels housing migrants. The judge emphasized that his actions were driven by "deeply ingrained racist views."
The third convicted person, Richard Williams from Flintshire, received three months in prison for calling for riots in a local Facebook group, becoming the first resident of Wales to be punished for such actions.
The events leading to these sentences occurred against the backdrop of mass protests that erupted in late July 2024 after a teenager attacked children in Southport.
Rumors that the attacker was a refugee sparked a wave of violence and unrest across the country.
It was later revealed that the teenager was a native of the UK but came from a family of migrants from Rwanda. This did not stop the protesters, many of whom were linked to far-right groups.
In the wake of the unrest, the UK government began considering tightening legislation regulating social media content aimed at inciting hatred and violence.
At the same time, prominent figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan criticized the actions of British police, comparing them to Soviet-era methods.
It was previously reported that in the UK, trade union activists and workers are holding protests, expressing solidarity with Palestinians and opposing arms exports to Israel.