2 men jailed in UK for inciting racial hatred online

Saturday, August 10, 2024 - Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of five years in prison for their involvement in publishing Facebook posts that incited racial hatred and called for violence against a hotel housing asylum seekers in Leeds during recent riots in the UK.

Jordan Parlour, 28, from Brooklands Close, Leeds, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after being charged with publishing written material intended to stir racial hatred. The charges were related to Facebook posts Parlour made targeting the Britannia Hotel in Seacroft, which serves as temporary housing for refugees and asylum seekers. The posts, which were widely shared, included calls for the destruction of the hotel, with Parlour expressing his anger and frustration over the presence of asylum seekers in the UK.

In a separate case, Tyler Kay, a company director, was sentenced to 38 months at Northampton Crown Court. Kay was found guilty of repeating anti-immigrant comments originally posted by the wife of a Tory councillor and boasting online that he would "categorically" not be arrested. His posts also included calls for action against immigration solicitors in Northampton and support for organized protests.

Prosecuting counsel Matthew Donkin detailed the impact of their actions, noting that the Britannia Hotel staff reported stones being thrown and windows damaged between August 2 and August 3. The prosecutor also linked the incidents to a broader wave of public disorder that spread across several UK cities, including Southport, Manchester, Hartlepool, Aldershot, and London.

During the trial, it was revealed that Parlour's posts received numerous likes and comments, further fueling the spread of hate and violence. When questioned online about his motives, Parlour replied that he was frustrated by what he perceived as asylum seekers benefiting from taxpayer money that should be used for "hardworking people." He later admitted to the police that his posts were made out of "anger and frustration."

The judge, the Recorder of Leeds Judge Guy Kearl KC, condemned Parlour's actions, stating that his intention to incite hatred and violence was "plainly evident."

These sentences send a strong message about the consequences of spreading hate and inciting violence, particularly against vulnerable groups like asylum seekers.