OH, TO BE IN ENGLAND: IT consultant arrested after posing with shotgun on LinkedIn.
An IT consultant was arrested by police in Britain after he posted a picture online of himself posing with a gun in the US.
Jon Richelieu-Booth said he was shocked by the “Orwellian” decision by West Yorkshire Police (WYP) to prosecute him over the social media post.
The 50-year-old said that on Aug 13 he had posted a picture of himself on LinkedIn holding a shotgun while on a private homestead with friends during a holiday in Florida.
Mr Richelieu-Booth claims the LinkedIn message contained nothing he considered threatening, with the picture attached to a lengthy post about his day and work activities.
However, he said that a police officer later visited his home to warn him that concerns had been raised about the post.
“I was told to be careful what I say online and I need to understand how it makes people feel,” he said.
Mr Richelieu-Booth said he offered to provide officers with proof that the picture of the firearm had been taken while he was in the US but the officers said that was not necessary.
More here: “Richelieu-Booth said the investigation left him unable to work as his phone and computers were seized by police. The incident drew international attention after Elon Musk commented on the case online. His post referenced coverage of the arrest and contrasted the situation with legal protections in the United States. Musk’s response amplified debate around the policing of social media posts and the scope of public order laws in the UK.”
And this is why we have the first and second amendments in America https://t.co/fKXW3zFzMx
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2025