LONDON — A man has been arrested after members of the British parliament were allegedly targeted with offensive letters containing excrement.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement Tuesday that the 65-year-old was arrested on April 9 on suspicion of a public order offense and racially aggravated harassment, and has now been bailed.
The arrest follows allegations that five letters were sent to MPs between January and February 2025.
The Met Police earlier said in an email to MPs’ offices, seen by POLITICO, that they were “investigating offences related to a series of letters that have been received by MPs in the post in the past few months.”
“The letters in question are believed to have been sent by a single sender,” the email stated, adding that the correspondence was “distinctive because, as well as containing offensive content, the letters appear to be smeared with excrement.”
Investigating officers urged any MPs affected to report it to the police. The House of Commons declined to comment while police are carrying out enquiries.
One MP, granted anonymity to speak about sensitive matters, told POLITICO they had recently received a letter with blood on it. It is not clear if this is related to the allegations being investigated by police.
Parliamentarians have reported increased incidents of abuse and threats in recent years, prompting an inquiry into their safety led by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.
This follows multiple instances of people prosecuted for making threats to MPs from different parties, often via email or social media.
Many MPs have publicly spoken about their experiences and security measures they have been forced to take, including the cessation of in-person surgeries, installing panic rooms and carrying alarms.
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