Petition against jail for online posts hits target

A petition calling for an urgent review of sentencing after a woman was jailed for a racist social media post has hit its target of 100,000 signatures in under 24 hours.

Lucy Connolly, from Northampton, was jailed for 31 months in October after urging her followers on X to "set fire" to hotels housing asylum seekers on the day of the Southport attacks.

Ex-Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe's online petition said prison terms for cases of "opinion-based online speech" caused "serious public concern" and alternative sanctions would be more appropriate.

Connolly's appeal was rejected in May, with the Court of Appeal ruling there was "no arguable basis" that her prison sentence was excessive.

The 41-year-old childminder, the wife of a Conservative councillor, posted the swearword-ridden message on 29 July 2024, the day three girls were murdered at a dance class in Southport.

While calling for "mass deportations now", she wrote: "If that makes me racist, so be it."

She urged readers to set fire to "all the hotels" that were "full" of those she wished to deport.

The post had been deleted before Connolly was arrested on 6 August but had already been viewed 310,000 times.

Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth as an Independent, said the jailing of Connolly was "morally repugnant" and his petition had the full support of her husband, Ray.

"Lucy, and others like her, should not be in prison for foolish things they posted on the internet," said Lowe in a post on X.

"It's all just so disgusting, and if I can use my elected position to do anything, it has to be worth a go."

The petition says imprisoning individuals for posts on social media "sets a dangerous precedent and raises wider questions about freedom of expression, proportionality in sentencing, and the misuse of limited prison resources."

The day after Connolly's appeal was rejected, Sir Keir Starmer said he was in favour of free speech and against inciting violence after Lowe used Prime Minister's Questions to ask if her jail term was an "efficient or fair" use of prison.

A UK Government and Parliament petition that attains 100,000 signatures is assessed by the Petitions Committee for its level of support and whether the government could act on its demands.

If approved for consideration, it is then debated in Westminster Hall.

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