Gareth Compton, British Politician, Arrested Over 'Stoning' Tweet

LONDON — A local politician in England has been arrested after allegedly posting a message on Twitter calling for a journalist to be stoned to death.

Police say Birmingham city councilor Gareth Compton was arrested on suspicion of sending an offensive or indecent message. He was released on bail pending further inquiries.

Media reports say the post on the microblogging site said "Can someone please stone Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It would be a blessing, really."

The post appears to have been removed. On Thursday Compson tweeted an apology for his "ill-conceived attempt at humor."

Alibhai-Brown is a liberal columnist for The Independent newspaper.

The Conservative Party said Compton had been suspended indefinitely.

Comments

[icefalcon58]

11:02 AM on 11/13/2010

Compton made a cloddish attempt at irony.

BUT: he was responding to Alibhai-Brown's radio interview when she said that British politicians have no right to criticize sharia, including stoning.

[obelis kreative]

02:45 PM on 11/12/2010

Could have been a drunk tweet, in which case that could prove to be a very expensive bottle of red.

[MollieinATL]

12:53 PM on 11/12/2010

Ah, Twitter. What a delightful little tool. (Twitter that is, not the British politician)

[Aj Sol]

06:54 PM on 11/11/2010

What a shame that in America this is exactly how you get elected. Republicans couldn't be elected dogcatcher without lying and scaring the most base and ignorant among us

[vinny]

06:02 PM on 11/11/2010

Ki//ing Joke

Love Like Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcRu8j1i518

80s postpunk

[TheBaffler]

11:39 AM on 11/12/2010

Nice.

I used to be a member of the Killing Joke fan club, through which I got a box set of their first five LPs, signed by the band.

[zooperman]

05:55 PM on 11/11/2010

That coud never happen in America where our politicians and political candidates take great pride for the language they use and carefully think out their responses to the difficult problems that they confront.

[MollieinATL]

12:51 PM on 11/12/2010

LMAO! Fanned and faved.

[TheMilesHome]

05:36 PM on 11/11/2010

Politicians aren't above the law over there???

(sarcasm on) Damn European Socialism (sarcasm off)