A man in his 20s has been arrested in London after allegedly posting a threat on X saying he would shoot Reform UK leader Nigel Farage if he won an election, police confirmed.
The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament, reports the Daily Mail. He has since been released on bail while the investigation continues. The arrest relates to a social media post made earlier this year.
A Met Police spokesperson told the Mail: "On Tuesday, 14 July a man in his 20s was arrested by Met officers on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament. The arrest relates to a social media post from earlier this year, which was reported to police on Friday, 8 May. After receiving the report, detectives submitted an application to a social media platform to gain access to the user’s contact information.
"After the relevant information was returned to detectives the man was arrested, with support from local Met officers, at a residential address in south London. After being held in police custody overnight, he has since been bailed pending further enquiries."
According to reports, the X post stated: "I am going to shoot you in the head if you win." The message was posted on May 8, the day local elections were held. The Telegraph reported the account holder described himself as a terrorist on social media.
The arrest comes days after former Reform MP and spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe was killed in what police are investigating as a targeted attack. Counter-terrorism officers are leading that investigation after arresting a 28-year-old man.
Farage told The Telegraph: "This is the first time the police have ever proactively acted on a social media post, and I hope they are looking at the other three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone."
Reform UK says it has logged 1,577 threats against Farage since February, including 597 death threats. The party says several of the messages came from individuals it believes are fixated on killing him.
Speaking to Talk TV, Farage also said: "I spoke to the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police three times. I spoke to the prime minister as well and those calls took place over Friday and Saturday and they both told me it's a burglary that's gone wrong.
"I said, no, it is not. A burglar does not park his car on your drive and walk into the house. A burglar parks in a lay-by down the road or has a getaway driver.
"And I went to Dartmoor on Saturday and I said, I have no doubt this is a premeditated murder. I received tons of abuse for saying it but sadly it's proved that I'm right. It was obvious."
The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament, reports the Daily Mail. He has since been released on bail while the investigation continues. The arrest relates to a social media post made earlier this year.
A Met Police spokesperson told the Mail: "On Tuesday, 14 July a man in his 20s was arrested by Met officers on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament. The arrest relates to a social media post from earlier this year, which was reported to police on Friday, 8 May. After receiving the report, detectives submitted an application to a social media platform to gain access to the user’s contact information.
"After the relevant information was returned to detectives the man was arrested, with support from local Met officers, at a residential address in south London. After being held in police custody overnight, he has since been bailed pending further enquiries."
According to reports, the X post stated: "I am going to shoot you in the head if you win." The message was posted on May 8, the day local elections were held. The Telegraph reported the account holder described himself as a terrorist on social media.
The arrest comes days after former Reform MP and spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe was killed in what police are investigating as a targeted attack. Counter-terrorism officers are leading that investigation after arresting a 28-year-old man.
Farage told The Telegraph: "This is the first time the police have ever proactively acted on a social media post, and I hope they are looking at the other three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone."
Reform UK says it has logged 1,577 threats against Farage since February, including 597 death threats. The party says several of the messages came from individuals it believes are fixated on killing him.
Speaking to Talk TV, Farage also said: "I spoke to the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police three times. I spoke to the prime minister as well and those calls took place over Friday and Saturday and they both told me it's a burglary that's gone wrong.
"I said, no, it is not. A burglar does not park his car on your drive and walk into the house. A burglar parks in a lay-by down the road or has a getaway driver.
"And I went to Dartmoor on Saturday and I said, I have no doubt this is a premeditated murder. I received tons of abuse for saying it but sadly it's proved that I'm right. It was obvious."
