Jordan Parlour, a 28-year-old man from near Leeds, United Kingdom, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for inciting violence against a hotel housing migrants. Parlour made a disturbing post on Facebook, encouraging his followers to “smash the [expletive] out of Britannia hotel.” The hotel was home to 210 people, many of whom were asylum seekers and refugees.
The judge, Guy Kearl, noted that Parlour’s post was shared during a period of unrest when the hotel had already been targeted by rioters who broke its windows. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) took Parlour’s actions seriously, with Nick Price, the CPS Director of Legal Services, warning that anyone inciting such violent behavior would face severe consequences.
Parlour pled guilty to charges of publishing threatening, insulting, or abusive material intended to stir up racial hatred. His original sentence was five years but was reduced in exchange for his guilty plea. Judge Kearl emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating that an immediate custodial sentence was unavoidable given the severity of Parlour’s actions.
The incident at Britannia hotel followed the spread of rumors online that an immigrant was responsible for a recent fatal attack in northwest England. This fueled demonstrations across the UK, with some protests escalating into violence, including setting cars on fire and clashing with police.
In a related case, Tyler Kay, a 26-year-old from Northampton, was sentenced to over three years in prison for posting inflammatory content on social media. Kay’s post, which suggested setting fire to hotels housing migrants, was quickly addressed by authorities. Rosemary Ainslie, acting head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, highlighted the swift justice in Kay’s case as a warning to others who might consider engaging in similar far-right activities.