A man from Northampton, Jamie Turner, has received abusive messages and death threats after being wrongly identified as one of the men involved in a racially aggravated incident at Waterloo Station. The incident was captured in a viral video and three individuals have since been arrested. Turner’s business, JT Landscape Services, was mistakenly targeted, leading to threats against him and his family. Northamptonshire Police are investigating the matter. Jon Ironmonger – BBC Investigations, Northamptonshire reported
Jamie Turner, a man from Northampton, has spoken out about the relentless abuse he received on social media after being wrongly accused of a racially aggravated incident. Turner, who runs JT Landscape Services with his wife, was mistakenly identified as one of the men shouting at pro-Palestinian protesters at Waterloo Station in London. He described his phone as “lighting up like a Christmas tree” with constant calls, voicemails, and even death threats.
The incident occurred after footage of the incident went viral on social media, prompting British Transport Police to appeal for information about the individuals involved. While three men have since been arrested in connection with the incident, online sleuths had already begun their own investigations. One person claimed to have found the person from the video and shared a link to Turner’s website, which included his personal contact information. Unfortunately, this confusion led to Turner receiving a barrage of verbal abuse, threatening messages, and even fake one-star Google reviews of his company, accusing him of being a “right wing owner abusing people in public.”
The abuse took a toll on Turner and his family, who have two young children. They were frightened by the threats made against their home and their lives. Mrs. Turner expressed her frustration, stating that their business, which they had worked hard to build, was being tarnished by false accusations. The family even had to leave their home for a few days to escape the abuse.
Northamptonshire Police became involved and visited Turner to provide safety advice and gather information about the threats. They also urged people not to engage in threatening or abusive behavior online, as it is considered a crime.
It is alarming how easily personal information can be found and misused on social media, causing harm to innocent individuals and their families. Turner’s case highlights the need for responsible sharing of information and the potential dangers of online vigilante justice..