A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after posting inflammatory anti-immigration messages on Twitter, in what a judge described as “odious” attempts to stir up racial hatred.
According to the Daily Mail, Luke Yarwood’s posts followed a December 2024 car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, which left six people dead.
In tweets responding to widespread misinformation suggesting the attack was carried out by an Islamic extremist, Yarwood urged followers to burn migrant hotels and called for violence against asylum seekers and lawmakers.
The tweets, reportedly viewed just 33 times, were reported to police by Yarwood’s brother-in-law.
Prosecutors argued that even with limited views, the posts were part of a broader pattern of extremist content, some of which had been seen by hundreds of people and replied to high-profile accounts, including GB News.
Siobhan Linsley, prosecuting, told the court: “The two specific posts were aimed at immigrants or asylum seekers, housed in government hotels. This wasn’t reckless behavior; this was a pattern that happened over a month. It was rooted in his belief. He was angry about the presence of Muslims and foreigners in Britain.”
In one tweet, Yarwood wrote, “I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.”
Yarwood’s defense argued that the tweets were “the impotent rantings of a socially isolated man” with fragile mental health, and that there was no evidence of real-world consequences.
His barrister emphasized that Yarwood no longer held extremist views and that the posts were reported by a family member with whom he was feuding.
Judge Jonathan Fuller rejected these arguments, saying, “Freedom of speech is not an absolute right. What the law prohibits is the stirring up of racial hatred. The tweets speak for themselves; they are odious in the extreme. They could have had serious consequences and can only be marked by a sentence of immediate imprisonment.”
The case has drawn comparisons to other prosecutions of individuals encouraging violence against asylum seekers, highlighting the UK’s strict approach to online hate speech.
