‘Kafkaesque’ police investigation launched into journalist Allison Pearson – for social media post over a year old

A journalist has become the victim of a “Kafkaesque” police investigation after they allegedly riled up hatred in a social media post last year.

Allison Pearson, 64, said that two police officers turned up at her door on Remembrance Sunday to tell her that she was under investigation for a tweet she made in 2023.

The officers told her that they could not disclose what the specific post was referring to, however, she was posting regularly about the October 7 attacks on Israel around this time.

She told The Telegraph: “I was accused of a non-crime hate incident. It was to do with something I had posted on X a year ago. A YEAR ago? Yes. Stirring up racial hatred apparently.”

When she asked who accused her of such behaviour, the officer corrected her: “It’s not the accuser, they’re called the victim.”

Last night, Essex Police said officers had opened an investigation under section 17 of the Public Order Act 1986 relating to material allegedly “likely or intended to cause racial hatred”.

A police spokesman said: “We’re investigating a report passed to us by another force. The report relates to a social media post which was subsequently removed. An investigation is now being carried out under section 17 of the Public Order Act.

“As part of that investigation, officers attended an address on Sunday November 10 to invite a woman to attend a voluntary interview on the matter.”

More to follow…