Ricky Jones was found not guilty.

A former Labour councillor who called for far-right activists’ throats to be cut at an anti-racism rally in the wake of the Southport murders has been found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder.

Ricky Jones was acquitted this morning following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

A video showing Jones addressing crowds on Hoe Street in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year went viral on social media after the protest, which had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau.

The councillor, who was suspended by his party in the wake of the incident, said: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”

He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd.

Jurors deliberated for just over half-an-hour and found him not guilty on Friday.

But, despite what some very senior Conservatives would have you believe, this is not an example of so-called “two-tier justice”.

Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly was the first Conservative to condemn the outcome of the case, which he said was “unacceptable”.

“Perverse decisions like this are adding to the anger that people feel and amplifying the belief that there isn’t a dispassionate criminal justice system,” he posted on X.

This unacceptable.

Perverse decisions like this are adding to the anger that people feel and amplifying the belief that there isn’t a dispassionate criminal justice system. https://t.co/dhnenxWKSO

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp went even further by comparing Jones’ acquittal with........

© HuffPost