Police launch probe into alleged death threats at MP amid Aberdeen trans row
The force had previously deemed the first tweet not to have met the criminal threshold for an offence
Last updated 15th Jun 2023
Police have launched a probe into alleged death threats against Joanna Cherry following a row on trans rights.
A viral clip on Twitter shows the Edinburgh South MP appear to roll her eyes when Aberdeen North MP, Kirsty Blackman, is giving evidence about a trans woman who had been considering committing suicide, in part, due to transphobia.
In response, Ms Cherry said: "The trans rights activist promoting this latest smear of me has a social media has a history of excusing and even worse appearing to advocate for violence against women.
"They also frequently mock feminist & lesbian activism.
"Anything they have to say should be assessed in the light of their inflammatory behaviour."
Ms Cherry's response came after Heather Herbert, a trans woman from Aberdeen who tweeted about the incident, claimed the politicians were "stamping on our heads.
"We can talk and try and build bonds between trans people and transphobes and say 'we're just normal people, just like anybody else'.
"But to see those three MPs just completely dismiss things was shocking.
"The people who are elected officials should be the people who are looking out for marginalised and vulnerable people.
"They shouldn't be the people stamping on our heads.
"I wasn't going to say anything about Kirsty's speech, I knew the reaction that would happen, it would be a constant stream of abuse for me.
"But after I saw a number of people basically calling her a liar I said 'no, I need to support my friend Kirsty'".
Probe launched into threatening tweets
SNP MP Cherry has since received two threatening tweets which the Metropolitan Police are now investigating under the Communications Act 2003.
The force had previously deemed the first tweet not to have met the criminal threshold for an offence.
That tweet, of which Ms Cherry shared a screenshot on Twitter, said: "I'd kill her with my bare hands if I ever saw her irl."
Ms Cherry also shared the second post from the same author, which said, in reference to her and two other MPs: "Each of them should be murdered in broad daylight on a crowded street."
Ms Cherry wrote: "I am hoping the Metropolitan police will reconsider their decision on the criminality of the first tweet threatening to kill me in the light of the second tweet threatening not just my life but that of 2 other MPs (Rosie Duffield) & (Neale Hanvey)."
In a statement, the Met said: "On Tuesday, June 13 the Met was made aware of a tweet received by a serving MP.
"The contents were assessed and it was deemed it did not meet the criminal threshold for an offence.
"The matter was logged for intelligence purposes.
"However, we have today, June 14, become aware of a further tweet linked to the same account and with these being taken together, we will now be investigating this matter for potential criminal offences under the Communications Act 2003.
"We take the safety and security of MPs extremely seriously and our parliamentary liaison and investigation team works with colleagues from local police forces through the Operation Bridger network and the Parliamentary Security Department to provide MPs and their constituency teams with support and advice in relation to their safety and security."