A 15-year-old boy identified as Fraser has reportedly been arrested in the United Kingdom over a series of social media posts targeting Wolverhampton councillor Simon Bennett, including an AI-generated image depicting the politician with rabbit ears.
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The teenager, described as a Reform UK activist, was reportedly taken into custody after publishing posts that mocked Bennett’s appearance and criticised his clothing at council meetings.
According to a report by The Telegraph published on October 5, police officers arrived at Fraser’s home in the early hours of August 3 while he was asleep.
The officers reportedly collected his fingerprints, photograph and DNA sample before searching his bedroom. His mobile phone was also seized for examination, and four officers subsequently placed him in a cell.
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...s reportedly included criticism of Bennett for attending council meetings wearing shorts, a T-shirt and trainers.
Another publication featured an AI-generated image showing the councillor with rabbit ears, while a separate post described his appearance using the derogatory phrase “rent boy”, a term commonly used in Britain to refer to a male prostitute.
The Telegraph reported that Bennett sought advice from Wolverhampton Council, which subsequently recommended reporting the matter to the police.
According to the newspaper, the councillor said the council had sought advice, “and they thought it best to report it to the police”, adding that “the police thought it merited arresting him.”
The teenager’s reported detention has raised concerns among his supporters, with his lawyers threatening civil action against West Midlands Police over what they described as wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.
Fraser reportedly said one of his posts “hit his nerve a bit”.
He also attributed his arrest to his political views, arguing that the incident was an attempt to silence him over his online commentary.
However, the precise legal basis for the arrest and the status of any criminal proceedings were not established in the account.
Councillor Celia Hibbert, the Reform UK leader in Wolverhampton, also criticised the circumstances surrounding Fraser’s arrest.
Speaking to Fox News on October 7, Hibbert said she did not know what specific charges the teenager might face.
“Up until now, we don’t know exactly what the charges he’s facing. We just hear that Fraser compared this councillor dressing like a “rent boy”.
“What’s the big deal? I’m thinking this is a joke when I went to get Fraser from the police station. I said what are you doing in the police station? He said I just got arrested. I said what did you do? He said the things I’m posting on social media. I said no. I said, dude, we don’t live in Nigeria, do you? You don’t get arrested by a politician because they don’t like what you’re saying.”