A UK woman who took part in anti-mass migration protests in the English city of Sunderland has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for repeatedly pushing industrial trash cans toward a line of police.
Leanne Hodgson, aged 43, was sentenced this week after taking part in anti-mass migration protests that were sparked by the killing of three young girls in Southport, allegedly by a migrant background teen.
Hodgson is just one of nearly 600 people arrested for various offenses since the protests started late last month. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has charged at least 159 of them.
Among them have been a homosexual couple who were also sentenced to two and half years in prison for shouting at police during a protest in Hartlepool, with one of the men also being bitten by a police dog, while his partner was attacked by officers with a baton.
Several people not directly involved in the protests or riots have also been arrested and charged for their speech on social media.
Among them was a 55-year-old woman who was arrested by Cheshire police because she posted inaccurate information regarding the identity of the suspect in the Southport stabbings.
“It’s a stark reminder of the dangers of posting information on social media platforms without checking the accuracy,” Cheshire Police Chief Superintendent Alison Ross said.
UK Director of Public Prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, meanwhile, has also threatened to extradite social media users from overseas if they supported the anti-mas migration protests or were believed to have incited violence or hatred.
“They are not safe and there is nowhere to hide,” Parkinson said and noted that some social media users could be charged with terrorism offenses.
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