‘Repost hateful messages about disorder online and you could end up in court’

Reposting hateful messages about violent disorder on social media could mean you end up in court, Britain’s top prosecutor has warned.

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson also said extradition would “of course” be considered for people posting online about inciting UK riots while out of the country if it is “serious criminality”.

Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “Anyone stirring up hateful or threatening activity on social media is potentially contributing to the violent disorder on our streets.

“Be mindful of what you are saying and sharing online, as you could face prosecution.”

Mr Parkinson urged people to think before reposting or sharing messages online about the disorder, saying they are “potentially committing criminal offences themselves”.

He said: “We’ve now charged two offences of inciting racial hatred based on online communications.

“I think people need to be really aware that if they retweet or share those communications, they are potentially committing criminal offences themselves, the offences are around publication of material.

“If you retweet something, you are republishing it. We have dedicated police officers whose sole task is to scour the internet, scour social media. This is what they’re focusing on.

“So, if you retweet or you reshare those communications, you will be picked up and you may expect a visit from the police, so please don’t do it.”

Regional organised crime units are looking closely at online incitement, particularly from “higher end offenders, senior organisers and known influencers”, police sources said.

“Crime is crime, we are not here to police political views. We’re here to keep people safe and arrest criminals,” a source said, adding that whether criminality is online or on the streets, “we’re going after those involved”.

“Cases are being built and the intelligence is being built around them,” they added.

Police have seen activity across all social media platforms – “It’s across Facebook, it’s across X. X is particularly in the limelight, and that is where a lot of the content is,” the source said.

Videos appearing on TikTok are being monitored closely, particularly for evidence.

Asked if there was any complication with charging people posting about inciting UK riots without being in the country, Mr Parkinson said: “There may be a practical issue in terms of getting hold of them, but I think what people need to understand is that we work very closely with other countries.

“We have around 30 liaison prosecutors based around the globe, the majority of whom are actually based in Europe.

“The police also have officers stationed around the globe, including in Europe.

“We work very closely with governments and criminal justice agencies, I’m part of a network of European prosecutors, so there’s lots of links with criminal justice agencies in other countries, which means that we can make mutual legal assistance requests to gather evidence.

“Obviously, we can extradite people. It may take longer to get them back, but there’s no issue around if we can get them back, then prosecuting them.”