Three arrests made in antisemitism probe after dossier submitted by LBC

The Metropolitan Police have made three arrests in an investigation prompted by a dossier detailing antisemitic social media messages allegedly posted by Labour Party members.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said that two men and a woman had been arrested over the course of March on suspicion of publishing or distributing material likely to stir up racial hatred. Each has been released pending further inquiries.

The investigation was launched after radio station LBC handed over the leaked dossier to Met Commissioner Cressida Dick following an interview in September 2018.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “On Tuesday 4 September, the Met Commissioner was handed a folder of paperwork following a radio interview with LBC Radio in Leicester Square.

“It is alleged that the documentation included evidence of antisemitic hate crimes. The contents have been examined by specialist officers.

“A criminal investigation has commenced into some of the allegations within the documentation. Advice regarding these allegations was received from the Crown Prosecution Service and has been considered.

“A man in his 50s [A] was arrested on 7 March on suspicion of an offence contrary to Section 19 Public Order Act 1986 – publishing or distributing material likely to stir up racial hatred – after a warrant was executed at an address in Birmingham. He was interviewed under caution at a custody suite in Birmingham. He has been released under investigation.

“A second man in his 50s [B] was arrested on 14 March on suspicion of an offence contrary to Section 19 Public Order Act 1986 – publishing or distributing material likely to stir up racial hatred – after a warrant was executed at an address in Tunbridge Wells. He was interviewed under caution at a police station in Kent. He has been released under investigation.

“A woman in her 70s [C] was arrested on 21 March on suspicion of an offence contrary to Section 19 Public Order Act 1986 – publishing or distributing material likely to stir up racial hatred – after a warrant was executed at an address in Wandsworth. She was interviewed under caution at a south London police station. She has been released under investigation.

“The MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) will not comment further on the details of the investigation.”

A Labour Party spokesman said: “We welcome the police investigating these individuals’ alleged crimes.

“Antisemitism has no place in our society and we are committed to challenging and campaigning against it in all its forms.”

The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Community Security Trust and Jewish Leadership Council issued a joint statement, saying: “It is highly significant that the Metropolitan Police have now made three arrests in connection with Labour’s antisemitism problem. This follows the passing of an internal Labour dossier to Commissioner Cressida Dick by LBC Radio, regarding a single batch of 45 cases of alleged antisemitism within the Party. We await the outcome of the investigations, but ask why Labour had not itself alerted the Police. We are also concerned as to how many more cases remain unknown and repeat our request, made one year ago to Mr Corbyn, that the Party urgently appoint an independent ombudsman on such matters.”