WOKE cops should spend time chasing real criminals rather than policing tweets, a Reform MP blasted today.
Richard Tice slammed officers for launching an investigation into journalist Allison Pearson over a social media post she made a year ago.
Cops turned up at Ms Pearson’s home on Remembrance Sunday to question her about a non-crime hate incident.
On Never Mind the Ballots, Reform's Deputy Leader raged: "It's actually so shocking. It's extraordinary.
"I actually think British citizens would quite like the police to focus on stopping real crime, knife crime, rapes, theft, shoplifting, all that sort of stuff is what the police should be focusing on.
"Not not policing tweets, what's going on?"
READ MORE POLITICS
Downing Street today backed police in continuing to investigate "Orwellian" non-crime hate incidents.
A spokesman for the PM's said: "It is important the police can capture data relating to non-crime hate incidents where it is proportionate and necessary to help prevent serious crimes which may later occur."
The Telegraph commentator said they claimed they were not allowed to tell her what she had said on the X platform.
But she stood accused of “stirring up racial hatred” in a now-deleted post.
Most read in The Sun
Essex Police confirmed they called at Ms Pearson’s house and she was invited to a voluntary interview.
The force is still investigating.
Mr Tice insisted some cops are "embarrassed" that they're being forced to probe social media posts.
He claimed there could be "hundreds" of people getting similar knocks on the door to Ms Pearson but without a platform to complain about it.
The Reform MP added: "I think this government is authoritarian and are quite happy to try and suppress debate.
"Judging by Allison's comments, there's a feeling among frontline cops that they're rather embarrassed they're being asked to carry out their master's bidding on stuff they don't really understand.
"They're not sure why they're there. I think it's weak leadership at multiple levels of of society."
The incident has enraged opposition politicians, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp railing: “The police should not be wasting time targeting journalists or the public for expressing opinions.”
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage added: “This is Orwellian in the extreme. I’m appalled.”
Billionaire X boss Elon Musk, who has criticised PM Sir Keir Starmer over his handling of the summer riots, said on X: “This needs to stop.”
And former PM Boris Johnson said police who had their hands full were “being forced to behave like a woke Securitate”.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Today Ms Pearson said: "The British people deserve to be informed about the Kafkaesque state of their justice system.
"Instead of solving frightening crime police are frightening people."