TikToker from Salisbury who made 'grossly offensive' antisemitic posts avoids prison
A TikTok user from Wiltshire who continually posted antisemitic content to her thousands of followers has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Fiona Ryan described herself as a ‘geo-political analyst’ and a journalist, and regularly shared antisemitic views on social media, which included making jokes about the Holocaust.
Her posts directly compared Ashkenazi Jews with Nazis, and she claimed Jewish doctors carried out sex change procedures on children.
The 40-year-old, from Salisbury, was prosecuted for hate speech at Salisbury Magistrates' Court on 4 September 2024.
Ryan attempted to justify her views by invoking her freedom of expression, but prosecutors were able to prove that her posts far exceeded the boundary between freedom of expression and hate speech.
Gavin Sumpter, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “Fiona Ryan sought to hide behind the right to freedom of speech, however the court found that her posts and videos were grossly offensive.
“Her vile rhetoric reached a wide audience has caused real harm in the Jewish community, the impact of which she was fully aware of.
“The CPS does not tolerate hate speech and will not hesitate to bring perpetrators to justice.”
She was found guilty after a trial of four offences contrary to section 127 (1)(a) of the Communications Act 2003. Ryan also pleaded guilty at another hearing on 1 November 2024 to a further two offences, relating to posts on the platform X.
Ryan was sentenced to a total of 20 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154, costs of £650 and a requirement to attend up to 20 days of rehabilitation.