By Tony OReilly-
Essex Police have launched an investigation after a video emerged online appearing to show a man spitting on the memorial to the much-loved former MP and mocking tributes left in his honour.
The footage, shared on TikTok by a user known as ‘Angry Jesus’, has attracted attention after appearing to show disrespect towards the statue on Southend seafront, near Chalkwell. The video surfaced just days after the fifth anniversary of Sir David’s death, when tributes were laid at the memorial.
Police have confirmed they are investigating the video and are pursuing a number of targeted lines of enquiry. Officers have also acknowledged the upset the footage may have caused among residents and those who continue to remember the former MP.
Chief Inspector David Browning, Southend district commander, said police had assessed a report received on Wednesday, October 21, relating to a video posted on social media in Southend.
The investigation comes amid continued affection for Sir David, who represented Southend West for nearly a quarter of a century and campaigned passionately for the town to be granted city status.Known affectionately as ‘Mr Southend’, Sir David served as a Conservative MP for 38 years, first representing Basildon after his election in 1983 before becoming the MP for Southend West in 1997.
His political career was cut short in October 2021, when he was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea. His killing shocked the country and left a profound mark on the Southend community.
A statue was erected in his memory on Southend seafront in 2024, providing a lasting tribute to a politician whose work and campaigning were closely associated with the town. The memorial has since become a place where members of the public can pay their respects, with flowers and other tributes left in remembrance of the former MP.
The emergence of the video has therefore raised particular sensitivities, given the circumstances of Sir David’s death and the continuing significance of the memorial to his supporters, friendsand local residents. Police have not yet announced any arrests or confirmed whether an offence has been committed. Their investigation remains ongoing as officers work to establish the circumstances surrounding the footage.
Answers
Essex Police said it had investigated those reported threats, but maintained that the incident was unrelated to Sir David’s murder and that it does not routinely provide officers to police constituency surgeries.
Katie has also challenged the handling of the killer’s earlier referral to the Government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation programme. Ali Harbi Ali had been referred to Prevent in 2014, but the family has questioned why opportunities to assess the risk he posed were missed and why they have not been given fuller answers about decisions made before the killing.
In 2024, Katie pursued legal action against the police and Home Office, seeking accountability and lessons that could help protect others. She has continued to press for a full public inquiry, arguing that successive reviews have not adequately answered the family’s questions. Her campaign has centred on establishing what went wrong, who should be held accountable and what must change to prevent another tragedy
Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact Essex Police through its official reporting channels.
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