A suspended Labour councillor has denied encouraging violent disorder while addressing a crowd during an anti-racism demonstration in east London.

Dartford councillor Ricky Jones allegedly committed the offence during a speech to a gathering, organised in response to the nationwide violent disorder, in Walthamstow, on August 7.

A video emerged after the protest in which the 57-year-old appeared to call for far-right protesters’ throats to be “cut” during the demonstration.

Jones was arrested and charged by police two days later with encouraging violent disorder.

The defendant, who appeared via video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs where he is in custody, spoke to confirm his identity and enter the plea during a brief hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court today (September 6).

During a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said: “It is alleged that using a microphone you addressed a crowd at an anti-fascist protest and, talking about others you described as ‘disgusting Nazi fascists’, you said ‘we need to cut their throats and get rid of them’.”

Defence barrister Hossein Zahir KC said Jones accepted the words had been spoken but denied knowing the offence of violent disorder would be committed.

District judge Oscar Del Fabbro said the case would be referred up to the presiding judge as it constituted a class 1C of the Crime and Disorder Act offence.

He ordered the defendant to produce a defence statement by October 25, and set a provisional trial date of January 20 next year at the same court.

Jones has been a councillor in Dartford for the Princes Ward since 2019 but has since been suspended by the Labour Party.

In reference to the video, a Labour spokesperson previously said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.”