Katie Hopkins reported to police for Westminster knifeman remarks

Columnist Katie Hopkins once again prompted outrage on Thursday when she posted a message on Twitter that read: “Explosion in France, shooting at a German hospital, knife attack in London. And Ramadan has not yet begun,” adding “Without food these sods get nasty.” Her remarks resulted in a number of Twitter users calling for her to be investigated by the police. Hopkins’ remarks had appeared after news that police had arrested a 27-year-old man carrying a bag of knives in Westminster on 27 April.

The Metropolitan Police received a number of outraged messages in response. One man claimed Hopkins’ words would result in “racial violence” while another woman claimed there is a line “between free speech and hate speech.” In return the police asked them for more details about what Hopkins had said. Hopkins hit back at the criticism, stating that “I am certain the police do not have anything more pressing to attend to. Why not start a petition as well?” She also wrote taunting Twitter messages to London mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him “Sadiq Khan’t” and saying “Sadiq’s prayers are with the knifeman at this difficult time. He has cut his hand. Ambulance staff are administering a halal plaster.”

This is not the first time that there have been calls for a crackdown on Hopkins’ remarks. In July 2016 the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) investigated but ultimately rejected complaints about her April 2015 column in the Sun, where she compared migrants to “cockroaches.” The body stated that although her words had been in poor taste, they did not constitute a breach of the Editor’s Code. It is questionable whether her comments would have been allowed if she had made similar remarks aimed at another vulnerable group, such as Jewish people.

Hopkins works as a presenter for LBC radio. To complain to the station click on this link.