Police investigating a Lancashire county councillor over complaints made about a social media post are considering whether he has committed an offence under race hate legislation, the Lancashire Post understands.

Michael Lavalette – who represents the Preston Central division as an independent – took part in a ‘voluntary interview’ on Monday (28th July).

He was questioned about a picture caption on Facebook in which he headed an image of a demonstration against the ongoing war in Gaza with the phrase: “There is only one solution Intifada, Revolution”.

County Cllr Lavalette – who was backed by dozens of supporters who gathered outside Preston police station while he was interviewed – says he has been advised he must now await a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service over whether he will be charged.

County Cllr Michael Lavalette was elected to Lancashire County Council in May as the independent member for Preston Central | National World

placeholder image — County Cllr Michael Lavalette was elected to Lancashire County Council in May as the independent member for Preston Central | National World

A spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary told the Post its probe was continuing.

“We have voluntarily interviewed a man in his 60s from Preston in relation to an investigation into a social media post on Facebook,” they said.

“The investigation relates to an alleged offence under Section 18 of the Public Order Act. Enquiries remain ongoing.”

Section 18 of the Public Order Act is entitled: “Acts intended or likely to stir up racial hatred”.

It states that “a person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if: (a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or (b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby”.

County Cllr Lavalette told the Post last week he was “a proud anti-racist”, adding: “I do not believe that I have said anything that is remotely racist or antisemitic at all.”

The Arab word “intifada” is defined by Encyclopedia Britannica as an “uprising or rebellion”. In English, however, it is most commonly associated with two periods of Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip – which collectively resulted in more than 6,000 deaths on both sides of the conflict.

Jeremy Dable, the Jewish community representative on Preston’s Faith Covenant, said he was “deeply angered” and felt “harassed and threatened” by the use of the word intifada, because of its “unambiguous historical association with periods of murderous violence against Jews”.