Labour councillor Ricky Jones was speaking 'in the heat of the moment' when he urged followers to cut the throats of far right protesters during riots last summer, a court has heard.
The councillor for Dartford has appeared in court today accused of encouraging violent disorder after taking part in a counter-protest in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, on August 7 last year.
Jones, 57, attended the demonstration as several anti-migrant rallies taking place across the UK in the wake of the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29.
The incident sparked local riots which quickly spread across other parts of the country after misinformation spread online that the attacker, Axel Rudakubana, was a Muslim asylum seeker who had recently arrived in Britain on a small boat.
The court heard that Jones was spotted amongst a crowd that had gathered in Hoe Street in the early hours of the morning, despite Labour having urged its councillors 'not to take part in or attend...any demonstration or counter demonstration'.
