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MPs have criticized the Metropolitan Police’s decision to investigate Brexiteer Darren Grimes for allegedly sparking racial hatred after interviewing television historian David Starkey.
Grimes, 27, will be interviewed by Scotland Yard under caution at a police station after interviewing Dr. Starkey on his Reasoned UK YouTube channel on June 30.
The 75-year-old historian sparked widespread fury at the peak of the Black Lives Matter protests by commenting: ‘Slavery wasn’t genocide, otherwise there wouldn’t be that many fucking blacks in Africa or Britain, right?’
In the furor that followed, he gave up his scholarship at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and lost a book contract with HarperCollins.
Dr. Starkey later said his comment was a “grave mistake”, adding: “I am very sorry and unreservedly apologize for the offense you caused.”
Grimes, who rose to fame as a pro-Brexit activist, also apologized, saying he should have “ vigorously questioned ” the historian about the comments.
Now he is charged with the public order crime of inciting racial hatred. The maximum penalty is seven years in prison. It is understood that the police have not contacted Dr. Starkey.
However, the Metropolitan Police have been criticized for their decision to investigate Grimes, and former Interior Secretary Sajid Javid called the decision “clearly absurd”.
Brexiteer Darren Grimes, pictured, will be questioned under caution by the Metropolitan Police for an interview he conducted on a YouTube channel.
However, the Metropolitan Police have been criticized for their decision to investigate Grimes, with conservative backbencher Sajid Javid calling the decision “ clearly absurd. ”
Ben Bradley, Conservative MP for Mansfield, angrily tweeted: “God save the world when offended people make something a crime!”
Tim Farron, former Lib Dem leader, added: “ There may be more than meets the eye here, but at first glance this is completely ridiculous. ”
Javid tweeted: “David Starkey’s comments were shocking. But, the idea that it is appropriate to persecute journalists for the comments of their interviewees is clearly absurd.
“For the sake of our precious free press, I hope @metpoliceuk will reconsider.”
He was followed by Ben Bradley, a Conservative MP from Mansfield, who said angrily: ‘God save the world when offended people make something a crime!
In this case, Darren’s ‘crime’ according to the accusers is not predicting that his interviewee would say something offensive. Investigated for being around someone else’s mental crime. ‘
Tim Farron, former Lib Dem leader, added: “There may be more to it than meets the eye here, but at first glance this is completely ridiculous.
Grimes is not responsible for Starkey’s dire comments. In a free society, surely we don’t do things like this?
Douglas Murray, author and editor of The Spectator magazine, said: This is not the behavior of a police force in a free society.
Taking someone to a police station for something someone said to you in an interview? Shame on @metpolice uk. ‘
The Freedom Association accused the Metropolitan Police of ‘undermining’ the rule of law, adding: ‘Freedom of expression matters. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Darren Grimes.
Reacting to the investigation, Mr. Grimes said: “ At a time when many in our country are facing uncertainty and financial difficulties, I cannot imagine a more despicable way for the Metropolitan Police to abuse taxpayer money and trust from citizens investigating the vexatious claim.
He added that the threat of arrest if he does not attend the “voluntary” interview has “serious repercussions for freedom of expression.”
Speaking to MailOnline, Toby Young, Secretary General of the Free Speech Union, said: “Almost everyone has rightly condemned this grotesque assault on press freedom, including a former Home Secretary.
‘I hope the Met acknowledges that it has made a foolish mistake and immediately abandons this investigation.
Grimes interviewed Professor David Starkey, pictured, who later apologized for the offense caused by his comments on the YouTube channel.
“In a free country, journalists should not be threatened with arrest because someone they have interviewed has said something offensive.”
A statement on the Free Speech Union website read: ‘Accusing Mr. Grimes of inciting racial hatred is absurd. The only hatred Dr. Starkey aroused was against himself.
Young said Grimes would never have apologized “if he had intended to provoke racial hatred in the course of a broadcast just a few days earlier.”
He asked if the journalists would now face police action for comments made by the people they were interviewing. Such action would have “a paralyzing effect on freedom of expression, which is the soul of democracy.”
Grimes’s attorney, Luke Gittos, of the Murrays Partnership, said: “Mr. Grimes, of course, maintains his innocence.
‘This is an unprecedented use of public order legislation to attack a member of the media. Anyone who believes in freedom of the press should be concerned ”.
Grimes founded BeLeave, a pro-Brexit group targeting younger voters during the 2016 referendum campaign.
Last year he managed to overturn a £ 20,000 fine imposed by the Electoral Commission for spending offenses. He was also deputy editor of the political website BrexitCentral until 2018.
The Met’s investigation comes after a complaint was made to Durham Police. Mr. Grimes lives in London.
A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: “On July 4, the Metropolitan Police Service passed an indictment by the Durham Police of a public order offense related to a social media video posted on June 30. The matter is being investigated. There are no arrests. ‘
