Fury as pro-Palestinian protester films himself spitting on statue honouring murdered MP Sir David Amess

A social media user calling himself “Angry Jesus” posted footage of himself spitting three times on a Southend seafront statue of Sir David Amess, prompting calls for Essex Police to investigate. The incident, filmed days after the fifth anniversary of Amess’s murder, drew condemnation from former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, who said the act disrespected his life and legacy.

Amess, 69, was killed at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October 2021; his killer was convicted in 2022 and given a whole-life order. The statue was unveiled by Amess’s family in 2024. In online comments, the poster denied being the person spitting, while also arguing that the statue should be removed because of Amess’s support for the Iraq war.