Facebook takes down homepage of activist over abuse of MPs

Police also promise more robust approach after Speaker urges Met chief to act

Peter Walker and Matthew Weaver
Tue 8 Jan 2019 14.20 GMT

Facebook has deleted the homepage of the most prominent member of a group of “yellow vest” protesters who have harassed and abused MPs and journalists, as police began a more concerted response to their activities.

After the Speaker, John Bercow, wrote to the head of the Metropolitan police to urge action when the Conservative MP Anna Soubry was barracked returning from a TV interview on Monday, police greatly outnumbered protesters on Tuesday.

James Goddard, the most prominent of the activists, who model themselves on the French gilets jaunes movement, has regularly livestreamed such confrontations as a way of boosting attention for the movement.

However, on Tuesday afternoon both his Facebook pages were removed. The company said it “will not tolerate hate speech on Facebook which creates an environment of intimidation and which may provoke real-world violence”. A PayPal page via which he solicited donations was also taken down.

The Met also promised a more robust approach to the group after weeks of intermittent action during which Westminster Bridge has been blocked, Soubry has twice been harassed and sexist and racist abuse has been directed at TV crews.

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