Man arrested in north London for 'inciting racial hatred on social media'

Arrest comes amid surge in racist attacks following Brexit vote

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Police investigating extreme right-wing, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic postings on social media have arrested a man in north London.

The 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred and is being held at a north London police station.

The man was arrested at 6.30am on Wednesday morning, as part of a co-ordinated effort by officers from the Crime Disruption Unit within Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command.

A Met Police spokesman said: “Detectives executed search warrants at two addresses, both in north London, as part of this investigation, which relates to social media postings of an extreme right wing, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic nature.

“Searches at one of the addresses are ongoing. A number of digital items have been seized at one of the properties.”

The man’s arrest follows a surge in racist attacks following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

In addition to a growing body of anecdotal evidence, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said reports of hate crime increased 57 per cent on Thursday-Sunday last week, compared with the same period four weeks earlier, the FT reports.