Death threats to lawyer who accused Taki of racism

A black lawyer has received death threats after complaining to the police that The Spectator magazine had published a column that incited racial hatred.

Scotland Yard is investigating the columnist Taki and the magazine, which is edited by the Tory MP Boris Johnson, to establish whether they have broken the law.

Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, confirmed yesterday that the force was also looking into death threats against Peter Herbert, a leading anti-racism campaigner and member of the Metropolitan Police Authority.

After news of the inquiry, reported in The Independent this month, Mr Herbert received more than 40 abusive e-mails from far right-wing extremists, several of which made death threats. Three e-mails were sent from Britain; the remainder came from the United States after a right-wing website suggested messages be sent to him.

The Met's diversity directorate is investigating the e-mails and the "High Life" column by the Greek society figure Taki Theodoracopoulos, in The Spectator of 11 January. Under the headline "Thoughts on Thuggery" he wrote: "Oh boy, was Enoch [Powell] – God rest his soul – ever right!"

Referring to the New Year shootings of two black girls in Birmingham, he continued: "Only a moron would not surmise that what politically correct newspapers refer to as 'disaffected young people' are black thugs, sons of black thugs and grandsons of black thugs."

The Crown Prosecution Service will assess whether the piece incites racial hatred and breaks the Public Order Act, which carries a two-year term.

Mr Herbert, 45, said yesterday: "The article is still on The Spectator website, and that can't be there without being condoned by the editor, Boris Johnson. I therefore think a criminal investigation should include whether he is aiding and abetting incitement to racial hatred."