BRADFORD, ENGLAND — A 50-year-old IT consultant says he was put through “13 weeks of hell” after British police arrested him for posting a photo of himself holding a firearm during a holiday in Florida.
According to The Telegraph, Jon Richelieu-Booth shared the image on LinkedIn on August 13 while visiting a private homestead in Florida, where he posed with a shotgun. The post was reportedly non-threatening and accompanied by a reflection on his work and activities. Despite the photo being taken legally in the U.S., British authorities launched a criminal investigation that would lead to multiple arrests and charges — all of which were eventually dropped.
Richelieu-Booth said police first visited his home to express concerns over the image and warned him about how his posts might make others feel. He claims he offered to verify that the firearm photo was taken in the U.S., but officers allegedly told him it wasn’t necessary. Eleven days later, on August 24, two officers returned to his residence and arrested him.
A bail document reviewed by The Telegraph listed an allegation of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and a separate stalking allegation tied to a photograph of a house posted online. Richelieu-Booth was held overnight and initially released on bail, only to be re-arrested in October for allegedly breaching bail conditions — a charge that was later dismissed.
Ultimately, the initial allegations were dropped, and Richelieu-Booth was charged with a public order offense linked to a different social media post. He told The Telegraph he was never informed which post was in question and doesn’t recall being asked about anything specific. That charge was also discontinued prior to his scheduled court date on November 25.
Richelieu-Booth says the ordeal has left him unable to work as an independent IT contractor because his computers and phone were seized by authorities. “Anybody should be allowed to say anything they wish, as long as it’s not hateful,” he told The Telegraph. “When did we become so thin-skinned as a society?”
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that they received a complaint of stalking involving “serious alarm or distress,” which included “pictures of a male posing with a variety of firearms which the complainant took to be a threat.” The department said the case was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Richelieu-Booth said he now plans to take legal action against the police.
This case stands in stark contrast to American legal protections enshrined in the Constitution, particularly the First and Second Amendments. In the United States, a photo of a legally held firearm—taken during a lawful activity in a state like Florida—would not trigger criminal charges absent a clear threat or illegal conduct. While defamation, threats, and harassment laws do exist, they are carefully balanced against the right to free expression and lawful firearm possession.
Incidents like this highlight the importance of constitutional safeguards in the U.S. that protect not only gun ownership but also freedom of expression. Many Americans would find it deeply troubling to face arrest and loss of livelihood over a social media post involving lawful behavior in another country. Elon Musk, after sharing the story on X, summed it up clearly: “And this is why we have the First and Second Amendments in America.” The fact that this man endured months of legal limbo for something entirely legal in the U.S. serves as a powerful reminder of how vital those protections truly are.
And this is why we have the first and second amendments in America https://t.co/fKXW3zFzMx
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2025
