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A Labour councillor who called for far-right protesters’ throats to be cut acted “completely out of character” and was in the wrong, a court has heard.<\/p>\n
Ricky Jones, 58, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court after calling demonstrators “disgusting Nazi fascists” during an anti-racism rally in Walthamstow on 7 August last year.<\/p>\n
The Dartford councillor told police his remarks, captured on video as he addressed “tens of thousands” of people, were “ill-advised”.<\/a><\/p>\n Mr Jones, who was then a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) union, told jurors his comments were not intended to be “taken literally by anyone”. He denies encouraging violent behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mr Jones’ friend Kevin Courtney, a retired teacher, told jurors on Thursday that he was “surprised” by his comments. <\/p>\n He said: “I had not heard him say those words or anything in any way similar to that…<\/p>\n “I think they [the comments] are wrong. I was surprised that Ricky said them – I think it is completely out of character.”<\/p>\n The court heard Mr Courtney, a former joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), had previously attended rallies with the councillor. <\/p>\n Asked by defence barrister Hossein Zahir KC, whether Mr Jones had ever encouraged any form of violence, Mr Courtney said: “No, it was a complete shock when I saw that video…<\/p>\n “The mood was peaceful – Ricky’s words just didn’t gel with that at all.”<\/p>\n Mr Jones told jurors on Tuesday that his comments were not directed towards those at the rally.<\/p>\n He said he was referring “specifically” to an incident where a ‘National Front Rights <\/a> for Whites’<\/a> sticker had been found on a train with a hidden razor blade behind it.<\/p>\n The councillor told jurors on Wednesday that he felt “very emotional and very upset” after receiving pictures of the stickers the day before the rally.<\/p>\n He said that the crowd in Walthamstow “clearly knew” his comments were made in relation to “what happened on the train”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mr Jones went against advice not to attend the rally held in response to protests which had taken place following the murder of three children in Southport.<\/p>\n He was arrested the day after making the comments and told the court he felt it was his “duty” to attend counter-protests.<\/p>\n The trial continues.<\/p>\n Additional reporting by PA Media<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n