Police now investigating suspended Welsh councillor who posed with ‘what looks like a rifle’ in ‘xenophobic’ post
Police are investigating a suspended Welsh councillor over a social media post which appeared to show him holding a gun while commenting that he was making sure “there wasn’t any English people trying to cross the channel”.
Jon Scriven, a Plaid Cymru representative on Caerphilly Council, later deleted the post and has now apologised.
He has been suspended from the party while an investigation is carried out, Plaid has confirmed.
South Wales Police said it was “aware of a post on social media featuring a man brandishing what looks like a rifle at Ogmore-by-Sea”.
Superintendent Michelle Conquer said: “An allegation of malicious communications has been reported to us and we are investigating the matter.”
The post, which was uploaded by the Penyrheol councillor on August 8, said: “Ogmore-by-Sea tonight for a quick swim and make sure there wasn’t any English people trying to cross the channel.”
It has been accused of being “xenophobic” towards English people.
Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies tweeted on Monday that he was “speechless”.
“This sort of xenophobic attitude is beneath us,” he said.
He called on Plaid leader Adam Price not to “let another scandal rage on without decisive action”.
It is possible Mr Davies was referring to the saga involving MP Jonathan Edwards who was suspended then readmitted into the Westminster party after receiving a police caution for assaulting his wife.
‘Right to apologise’
Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds MP said in a statement: “There is a clear implication of violence and xenophobia in this post.
“Whether or not it was intended as a joke or not, it is entirely inappropriate for an elected official to make such comments, when they should know better.
“With so much hate in politics the last few years we should be trying to build bridges, not stoke division further.”
Caerphilly Senedd member Labour’s Hefin David tweeted: “Our society is facing huge challenges.
“We should be seeking to unite and address real concerns such as the cost-of-living crisis.
“Wrapping yourself in a flag and hating outsiders won’t help a single person in need.”
A day after the post was circulated on social media, Mr Scriven wrote on Facebook: “I would like to apologise for any offence caused by my now deleted Facebook post.
“It was ill-judged and I have apologised to the group leader Lindsay Whittle who has accepted my apology.”
A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: “Councillor Scriven’s now deleted post was inappropriate and goes against Plaid Cymru’s views and values.
“He was right to apologise for any offence caused.
“All Plaid Cymru elected representatives have a duty to uphold the highest standards. Councillor Scriven has been suspended pending an investigation.”
Caerphilly County Borough Council has been contacted for comment.
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Perhaps internal party procedure does not permit but Plaid Cymru have to throw this buffon out of the party asap. Waiting will only extend the political pain. It maybe uncomfortable but until that happens Plaid’s opponents have an open goal that no whataboutery will be able in any way to deflect.
You make a valid point but cllr this guy needs to feel he gets the fair play in Wales that he seems to think our neighbouring country is perhaps less than forthcoming with its own folk who might wish to come here ?
Oh here we go. The screaming overreaction from “the Establishment” continues. It’s pathetic. Unionist “feelings” must be protected at all costs. If only they were held to the same standards as everyone else. I wonder what politically motivated cretin chose to report him to the police. Yes, let’s try and completely destroy a man for a few political points over an edgy joke. Gods! Is THIS what we are? Meanwhile our very existence is undermined every day from Wasteminster. Still, must protect Tory feelings at all costs. Must try and cling on to the moral high ground and let our… Read more »
No one cares about any perceived “threat”; or the “gun”.
It’s not important because the Welsh Nationalist movement is now in the (inter)national media looking like a bigoted joke.
Who keeps saying about disturbing your enemy when he makes a mistake?
Are those quotation marks attributed to me? I never said those “words”.
The councillor in “question” is a member “of” Plaid Cymru not “the Welsh Nationalist media”.
But hey, it brought a “troll” like you to the site, defending “your” Unionist Government who are “the” Biggest Joke In World Politics. Who have “led” the country into the “most disastrous state the country has been in for over 50 years”. Toodle pip old serf!
Every country in Europe has inflationary and fuel problems.
You’re right though. Only Welsh nationalists have all the answers to global issues.
Yes every country in Europe has those problems. Britain has the second worst economy in Europe apart from Russia who is under sanctions. Britain, through Brexit, sanctioned itself.
Who are these Welsh Nationalists you speak of? Wales is not elitist. It simply wants freeing from the yoke of Westminster criminals
This is an isolated incident and he eill be dealt with by the party.
However, you might need to look at your own bigoted Conservative party in England and reflect on which enemy is really making the mistake, and fuelling support for Welsh independence.
If it was an English politician doing the same on the English side of the channel them Im sure you would would be screaming and throwing your toys out of the pram.
Ruth Davidson liked to be photographed in an army tank.
She’s Scottish.
So did Lizard Truss
Ah “whataboutery”. The last bastion of the lost argument. English politicians have said and done FAR WORSE to Cymru for hundreds of years.
Thank you for the melodramatic tantrum though. You are a vewwy vewwy big boy and you shall have your blankie.
BTW … This yours? 🍼
This muppet is not representitive of Plaid, but it hints at a wider culture problem in Plaid which they won’t sort out. > 95% of Plaid members are great people with solid motives and sound judgement. A few % seem to be guided by the teachings of Kim Yong Un. The 95% are scared of the few. Until Plaid sort out the few %, its not the party Wales needs.
The more time the police spend investigating people with a (questionable) sense of humour, the less time they’ll spend going after real criminals.
Owning and brandishing a gun while threatening a group of people most definitely is a crime.
How about holding a toy gun whilst making a joke which is most definitely not a threat. Get over yourself you disingenuous clown
After seeing the events in Liverpool yesterday when a 9 yr old child was shot dead i certainly do not see this stunt as a joke- Maybe it is you who is the disingenuous clown
Yea posting a comedy still with a toy gun is exactly the same thing as some gangsters murdering a child or a British government “letting the bodies pile high” during Covid, sending asylum seekers to Rwanda and delivering a Sikh activist into Indian government hands so he can be tortured.
Spare me your fake outrage and crocodile tears over the poor murdered little girl. But hey at least her death had meaning! You were able to use it to score some cheap political points. I’m sure this will soothe the family’s grief. You GHOUL.
Hmmm looks like the GHOUL has fellow ghouls who know where the downvote button is. Ohhh it hurts so much! 🙄
Is this what our police should be doing ? I think most folk would prefer they kept an eye on vunerable communities, women walking home late at night or rural crime …..! This silly councillor and the even more silly politicos who are working this up need to focus on what they were elected to do ! Education ! Health and Families facing higher and higher costs of living….,.full stop ❌
That’s not a rifle it’s a pelet gun and to c**k it you pull on the underneath arm.