Retired UK police officer suing after being arrested over 'thought crime' post on social media

A retired police officer in the United Kingdom is reportedly taking legal action after he was arrested over a social media post warning about the rising threat of antisemitism in the UK following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks against Israel.

Julian Foulkes, a 71-year-old retired special constable from Kent, England, was arrested in November 2023 and had his home searched after one of his posts on X was reported to law enforcement, according to the Daily Mail. 

Foulkes reportedly grew concerned as anti-Israel protests swept across London and other major European cities in the weeks following the October 7 attacks. In a post on X that month, he warned about escalating antisemitism after rioters stormed a Russian airport searching for arrivals from Tel Aviv.

"One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…" he posted in a reply to a pro-Palestinian activist's post.

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Julian Foulkes, a retired police officer in the UK, is suing after he was arrested over a social media post about antisemitism in the UK. (The Telegraph via YouTube/Getty Images)

Foulkes told the Mail that he was "shocked and flabbergasted" after Kent Police officers arrived at his door later to search his home. 

According to bodycam footage reviewed by The Telegraph, an officer raised concerns about the books he was reading, including those by British author and commentator Douglas Murray, commenting that his bookshelf contained "very Brexit-y things."

Police also reportedly raised concerns about a shopping list from his wife, a hairdresser, which included items like bleach, tin foil and gloves.

Police seized his electronic devices and detained Foulkes for eight hours before issuing him a caution — a formal warning given to a person who admits to an offense to avoid prosecution.

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Brexit supporters gather during a rally in London, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (AP Photo)

Foulkes said he accepted the caution out of fear that he would be kept from visiting his only surviving daughter, who lives in Australia.

He compared the ordeal to being targeted for a "thought crime."

"This is absolutely an Orwellian-style thought crime. It's absolutely ridiculous because I sent a tweet which was reasonable in the circumstances and it was a tweet based on events I'd read about just the previous day and in the previous week," he told the Mail.

"It was taken out of context and I really can't go through all the failings of Kent police - as much as I'd like to - but it's been quite astonishing to me especially as I served with them for 10 years," he added.

The Kent Police issued an apology to Foulkes on Monday, saying they had made a mistake and that his record had been cleared.

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The Union Jack is photographed against a partly-cloudy sky. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

"On 2 November 2023 a report was made to Kent Police about a social media post that was alleged to have been offensive, and Mr Foulkes was arrested on the same day," the statement shared with Fox News Digital read. 

"Although he was offered and accepted an unconditional caution following his own independent legal advice, a subsequent review of the case by the force concluded that the caution was not appropriate in the circumstances and should not have been issued."

"Kent Police apologizes to Mr Foulkes for the distress caused and how the report was investigated. We have expunged the caution from his record and are pleased to facilitate this correction. Mr Foulkes has been informed of the decision and a further review of the matter will now be carried out to identify any learning opportunities," the statement continued.

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In October 2024, UK man Adam Smith-Connor was convicted for praying silently near an abortion clinic and ordered to pay prosecution costs amounting to about $12,000. (ADF UK)

Foulkes says he has sought legal help and plans to sue the police force for wrongful arrest.

The Free Speech Union is raising money to cover the costs of his legal fight.

Concerns about free speech being under threat in the UK have drawn the attention of U.S. leaders like Vice President JD Vance.

In a speech to European leaders in February, Vance warned that Europe appeared to be retreating from some of its fundamental values it shares with the U.S. and adopting "Soviet-era" censorship.

Former guitarist for the band, "Mumford & Sons," appeared at the White House press briefing Monday to ask a question about British citizens being prosecuted for their speech being eligible for asylum in the U.S.. (Getty Images)

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British commentator and former Mumford and Sons guitarist Winston Marshall recently appeared at a White House briefing to ask the Trump administration if they would consider giving political asylum to Brits who faced prosecution for posting "hate speech" online.