Three Arrested For Inciting Violence On Facebook

Three Arrested For Inciting Violence On Facebook

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of using Facebook to incite riots.

Two 18 year-olds were arrested in Folkestone by Kent Police following concerns about postings on Facebook encouraging others to join in a riot in the town, while a teenager was also detained in Glasgow.

The arrests came after the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Stephen Kavanagh, warned on Monday that social media users would be examined by police and potentially prosecuted for inciting violence.

It's claimed Twitter, Facebook, and Blackberry's BB messaging service all played a part in organising riots over the weekend, allowing participants to seemingly stay one step ahead of the police.

Assistant Chief Constable Fiona Taylor, of Strathclyde Police operational support, told the Press Association: "This detention shows that we are monitoring the situation closely and we will take decisive action to prevent anyone inciting violence of any kind in Glasgow or anywhere else in the force area.

"Communities in London and other cities in England have been outraged at the disgraceful scenes of destruction and looting that they have witnessed and we are sure that communities here would be just as horrified to think that anyone was trying to incite similar acts of mindless criminality.

"Let there be no mistake, we are ready for any eventuality and will take any action necessary to prevent this kind of abhorrent behaviour.

"The action we took today should act as a strong warning to anyone who is thinking of causing trouble here."

Investigators will also be looking at photos uploaded to social networking sites in order to potentially identify looters and rioters.

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