Labour MP Dawn Butler has closed her constituency office in Willesden, north London, following a series of racist threats and attacks. The former youth minister said bricks had been thrown through windows and staff had been verbally assaulted, forcing her to relocate surgeries to local libraries and the civic centre.
Butler, the first black woman to speak at the dispatch box in Parliament, reported receiving death threats and hate messages since speaking out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. One message read: 'There will come a time when you can’t breathe, and we will all be happy.'
In a letter to constituents, Butler said she had worked extensively with police to create a safe environment for her employees. She noted that many incidents were not made public to avoid encouraging copycat attacks. The rent on the office had also become increasingly expensive.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemned the abuse, calling it 'appalling' and affirming his full support for Butler. Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat also backed her, tweeting that attempts to silence her threatened democracy and everyone's freedom of speech.
