Katie Hopkins criticised by Sussex Police over 'insensitive' tweet about Camber Sands victims

Fresh outrage: Katie Hopkins has been reported to Twitter over an "insensitive" post about the Camber Sands victims
Ian Gavan/Getty
Jamie Bullen25 August 2016

Police launched a scathing attack on Katie Hopkins after she posted an "insensitive" tweet about the Camber Sands tragedy.

The outspoken columnist sparked fresh outrage today after tweeting a poll speculating about the victims of the beach horror.

Five young men from London died yesterday after making the trip to Sussex to enjoy one of the hottest days of the year.

In a poll on Twitter, Hopkins suggested the victims would either be "talented footballers", "mentally ill", "fans of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik" or "big fans of inflatables"

The tweet has since been deleted.

Outrage: The tweet posted by Katie Hopkins sparked an angry backlash from Sussex Police
Katie Hopkins/Twitter

Sussex Police described the post as "insensitive" but added that it was not "criminal". The force revealed it has reported Hopkins to Twitter over the message.

Police tweeted: “incredibly insensitive, although not criminal. We suggest reporting her to @Twitter. We have already.”

More than 1,600 users voted in the poll before it was removed from Twitter.

Three men were pulled unconscious from the sea on Wednesday while two bodies were found on the beach. The men died despite desperate efforts from coastguards and paramedics.

When asked by another user if it would have provoked the same outrage if a “leftist comedian like Frankie Boyle” posted the tweet, police reiterated its stinging criticism of Hopkins.

They said: “Simply not appropriate to joke about five deaths the day after the incident.”

Today, police said they believed the men were from London and visited Camber Sands on a day out when the tragedy unfolded.

A rescue helicopter during the operation at Camber Sands
@Tashka4 /PA Wire

Chief Superintendent Di Roskilly said: "We believe we now know who the men are and that they came to the beach together for the day.

“We believe they are all in their late teens and early 20s and come from the Greater London area. These men were not fully clothed when they were pulled from the sea but wearing clothes appropriate for being at the beach for the day.

"We have no further reports of anyone else missing from Camber and there are no on-going searches related to this incident.

"This has been an incredibly tragic incident and we are offering their next of kin support at this difficult time and our thoughts are with them."

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