(LifeSiteNews) –– A retired British police officer was arrested, handcuffed, had his home raided and was held in custody – over a post on X warning about possible increases in anti-Jewish violence.
Julian Foulkes, 71, served Kent Police as a voluntary Special Constable for a decade. But after he replied to a pro-Palestinian account on X, formerly Twitter, last October with a comment supporting former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s stance on anti-Israel marches, six officers arrived at his home.
“One at the front said, ‘Are you Julian Foulkes?’ I said yes and she replied, ‘I’m arresting you on suspicion of an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.’ I was totally shocked—flabbergasted,” he told The Telegraph.
His post had read: “One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…”—a reference to mob that stormed a Russian airport days earlier, in search of Jewish arrivals. Foulkes says his post was meant as a warning, not as an endorsement or a statement of hate.
Bodycam footage shows officers rifling through his house – with the search extending to his loft, garage, and his wife’s underwear drawer. They examined books by Douglas Murray and back issues of The Spectator, remarking on “very Brexity things.”
One officer states that Mrs. Foulkes’ shopping list of bleach, foil and gloves was “odd” – suggesting it might indicate bomb-making intent.
Foulkes was held in a cell for eight hours and interrogated. “Kent Police decided to interpret my post as anti-Jewish,” he said. “But it was the exact opposite.”
Fearing travel restrictions that could affect visits to his daughter in Australia, Foulkes accepted a caution. Kent Police now admits the caution “was not appropriate” and has expunged it.
“This was a disaster,” Foulkes said. “It’s cost me money I can’t afford. I’m a pensioner.” He emphasized that the emotional damage was worse: “It’s like PTSD.”
Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary, called the incident “an outrageous and sorry episode,” and said it showed freedom of speech in the UK “is under attack.”
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, wrote: “Arresting a 71-year-old man and holding him for hours in a police cell over a tweet that was obviously not criminal is completely unacceptable.”
“The Police should spend their time catching actual criminals, not policing offence on Twitter.”
Arresting a 71 year old man and holding him for hours in a police cell over a tweet that was obviously not criminal is completely unacceptable
The Police should spend their time catching actual criminals, not policing offence on Twitter
https://t.co/y5OIDqGPMz— Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) May 10, 2025
Kent Police says it will now review the case “to identify any learning opportunities.”
