News / Crime
Bristol’s mayor and deputy receive racist death threats
Marvin Rees has spoken of his concern for his family after a death threat was scrawled in graffiti outside his home.
Police are investigating after the mayor found the sinister message, “Marvin must die”, sprayed on the pavement in Greenbank on Saturday morning.
Speaking out about the threat on Wednesday, Rees said: “My first concern has been for my family, my wife, children and my mum. Both for their safety and the impact on their wellbeing.
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“I had to tell my boys what had been written and explain these sorts of things can happen but not to worry.
“When we left the house, I stood on the word ‘die’ so that all they could actually read was ‘Marvin must’.”
Marvin Rees said his first concern has been for his family
Rees spoke out publicly the day after deputy mayor Asher Craig revealed at a full council meeting that she too has received death threats. She condemned the actions of a “minority of extremists” in the midst of a debate about the future of the Bearpit.
A source close to the mayor’s office said that threats made against Rees online alluded to the murder of MP Jo Cox by far-right white supremacist Thomas Mair in June 2016, suggesting he should suffer the same fate.
Both Labour politicians have condemned a rhetoric that would seek to poison politics.
Craig received a standing ovation from many in the council chamber when she made an impassioned speech on Tuesday, vowing not to be swayed or silenced by threats.
“Disagreement is one thing, but death threats are not debate,” she said.
“There are some who have approached this debate (about the Bearpit) with threats of violence and abuse against elected members, myself included.
“Poison like this has no place in our politics.
“Inciting my murder and that of other politicians poisons our politics. It is not something which any city, let alone one as tolerant as Bristol, should or will put up with.
“We will not be swayed by threats. We will not be silenced by people whose sole purpose is to peddle fear.”
Asher Craig said she won’t be silenced by a minority of extremists
Rees has expressed his gratitude to the police for how seriously they are treating the threats.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said: “We will all recognise the political discourse in Bristol too often descends to anger, insult and threat, falling below the standard Bristol deserves. We all pay a price for this.
“The way people turn their anger toward the city leadership despite our focus on delivering for the city in the face of the challenge posed by international chaos and a government starving us of resources while giving us the uncertainty of Brexit is bizarre.
“Political disagreement and debate is welcome. It’s an essential part of who we are. But we need better than some of what we have been getting.”
On Monday, Rees paid tribute to Pawel Adamowicz, mayor of Gdansk in Poland, who was murdered on stage in a tragic incident that has raised questions about the country’s divided society and – at times – toxic political discourse.
Police have confirmed they are carrying out an investigation into criminal damage and malicious/offensive social media posts.
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Threatening graffiti was sprayed outside a property in the Greenbank area of Bristol overnight on Friday, January 11 into Saturday, January 12.
“A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of racially-aggravated harassment and he’s been released on bail with conditions until early February.
“The victim is being offered all the help and support they need.”
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