Kent Police Apologise for Wrongful Arrest of Retired Special Constable Over Social Media Post

Kent Police have issued an apology and expunged the caution from the record of Julian Foulkes, a 71-year-old retired special constable who was arrested and handcuffed at his home in November 2023 over a social media post warning about antisemitism. The arrest followed Mr. Foulkes responding to a pro-Palestinian post on X, where his comment was misinterpreted as anti-Jewish, leading to a malicious communications investigation. Officers searched his home and seized electronic devices, raising concerns about his personal items, including books described as "very Brexity" and a shopping list for bleach, tin foil, and gloves. Foulkes, detained for eight hours and fearing the impact on his travel to Australia, accepted an unconditional caution before the force later acknowledged the caution was inappropriate. The case has drawn criticism about police priorities and free speech, with commentators and politicians condemning the arrest as an overreach and urging law enforcement to focus on serious criminals rather than policing social media opinions. Foulkes described the incident as an attack on free speech and called for public awareness of such policing practices.