So, the man who stepped in to protect Jacob Rees Mogg from AntiFacist protesters wore a Nazi uniform to a family party, 'for a laugh'...

Rees-Mogg’s defender wore Nazi uniform

Paul Townsley, a martial arts instructor, intervened when protesters invaded a debate with Jacob Rees-Mogg.

A man who intervened when the Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg was confronted by masked protesters has been revealed to have dressed up in a Nazi SS uniform.

Paul Townsley, 55, a martial arts instructor, was attending a debate with his teenage son at the University of the West of England (UWE) on Friday when it was invaded by ten demonstrators shouting “anti-fascist” slogans.

Mr Townsley was pictured wearing an SS officer’s uniform at a party
Mr Townsley was pictured wearing an SS officer’s uniform at a party
His family contacted police yesterday complaining that they had been harassed by left-wing activists and the media since the picture emerged. They said he had worn the SS uniform only to a fancy-dress party.

“We are fed up with being intimidated and have called police,” Mr Townsley’s wife, Linda, 53, said.

She said her husband, a navy veteran, had intervened because he was concerned about the potential threat to Mr Rees-Mogg after the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed to death in 2016 by a right-wing extremist.

“He saw that something was happening and because of the attack on Jo Cox thought there might have been a danger,” she said. “If one of the protesters had a knife he would have been a hero.”

The debate, organised by the university’s politics and international relations society, was invaded by ten protesters wearing masks or sunglasses and hats. The ringleader appeared to be Joshua Connor, 24. He was accompanied by Andreea Dumitrache, 25, his Romanian girlfriend, who claimed that she had been punched by Mr Townsley.

Mrs Townsley said: “We have been married for 25 years and he is not a violent person. These people who burst into the event are violent . . . apparently they can do what they want.

“He dressed up [in the SS uniform] for a family do. He is a good man and a lot of people would support that.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg said that he did not know Mr Townsley, but admitted that they may have met at previous events
Jacob Rees-Mogg said that he did not know Mr Townsley, but admitted that they may have met at previous eventsYUI MOK/PA
Mr Townsley said he believed that Mr Rees-Mogg was vulnerable because Mr Connor was “getting more aggressive and getting into [the MP’s] personal space”.

“It was a disgraceful event. I’m going to write to UWE asking why there was no security,” he said.

Mr Townsley, who left Belfast because of the Troubles, said: “I have seen people murdered. I was worried about Mr Rees-Mogg’s safety. I knew there was no security.”

Responding to allegations that he punched a female protester, he said: “I didn’t hit anybody. She was too close and I put my hand up to protect myself. She wasn’t an innocent bystander.

“I never hit anybody. She got so close that I could feel spittle in my face and I put my hand up to stop it. They broke in, in masks, I was intimidated but I was not going to back down to bullying or intimidation. If you don’t like what someone’s saying you vote against it. That’s democracy. I’m not a fan of politicians, I think they should be questioned at every opportunity.” fit and flare wedding dress

Several websites produced photographs purporting to show Mr Townsley with Mr Rees-Mogg but the MP said he had no recollection of meeting previously. “He is not a friend of mine. It is possible we have met at an event before,” Mr Rees-Mogg said.

David Brown
February 6 2018, 12:01am,
The Times