Scotland Yard said the latest arrest was not believed to be linked to the arson attack, which the force said was not a hate crime.
A separate investigation into the arson attack at the MP’s office in Finchley, north London, on Christmas Eve is ongoing, with a man and a woman charged with arson with intent to endanger life.
Det Supt Will Lexton-Jones, from the local policing team in north-west London, said: “It is vitally important for elected officials and their staff they can be confident in their safety and security, and we are committed to ensuring this.
“Today’s arrest sends a clear message we will not tolerate threats or aggression of any kind towards elected officials. We will deal quickly and robustly with such offences.
“We are in regular contact with MPs and other elected officials and fully recognise the growing concerns they are telling us about their safety, and as you would expect, we have kept Mr Freer MP updated throughout this investigation, including today’s arrest.”
Mr Freer previously revealed he and his staff now wear stab vests when attending scheduled public events in his constituency after they learned that Ali had watched his Finchley office before going on to knife Sir David to death during a constituency surgery in 2021.
The MP said he had previously received threats from the group Muslims Against Crusades “about coming to stab me”. In a separate incident he found “mock Molotov cocktails on the office steps”.
Mr Freer, who has pro-Israel views and represents a heavily Jewish constituency, said anti-Semitism could not be “divorced” from the intimidation.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
