Full Breakdown
Spitting Incident Targets Sir David Amess Memorial on Southend Seafront
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident overview
A video posted on TikTok shows a man identifying himself as “Angry Jesus” approaching the bronze statue of the late MP Sir David Amess on the Southend seafront and spitting three times. While filming, he references Amess’s vote for the Iraq war. The footage was uploaded days after the fifth anniversary of Amess’s killing on October 15, 2021, and quickly spread online, prompting a police report.
Political and community reaction
Former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel, who attended the statue’s unveiling, described the act on X as “sickening and disgusting,” calling the perpetrator “vile.”
Statue background
The £48,000 bronze memorial was unveiled in Chalkwell in 2024, funded by Basildon pharmaceutical businessman Dr Vijay Patel OBE. It was installed two years after Amess’s death to honor his public service.
Verbatim quotes
- “Voted for the Iraq war. Shame.” — Radd Seiger, spokesman for the Amess family
- “The family are deeply upset by what they have seen.” — Essex Police
- “David dedicated his life to public service,” — Mr Seiger, spokesman for the Amess family
- “David believed passionately in freedom of expression and the right to disagree.” — Patel OBE. Radd Seiger, spokesman for the Amess family