POLICE have defended Boris Johnson’s neighbours for taping his late-night argument with his girlfriend then calling 999.
A social media account for a Met borough told the public “you are not interfering” for getting involved in domestic incidents.
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And the cops, included in their message a link to a chilling Scotland Yard video of an attack on a woman being overheard through a house wall, which had been posted by Jeremy Corbyn supporters.
The provocative comment came as debate raged over whether the Tory leadership frontrunner’s neighbours were eavesdropping when they recorded his blazing row with Carrie Symonds on Thursday night, ringing 999 then telling The Guardian what had happened.
Some of Mr Johnson’s supporters have called them “Corbynista curtain-twitchers” and suggested they only called police and then made details public – including the fact that Miss Symonds was shouting “get off me” – to undermine his campaign.
But the MPS Barnet account tweeted on Sunday, in a clear reference to the row: “You are NOT interfering!
“If you are a neighbour & you hear, see or believe Domestic Violence/Abuse is happening…then call us. We WILL come. Recording Audio or Visually is NOT interfering…it’s Evidence.”
In the same message, it posted a link to a short video the Met made almost a decade ago urging neighbours to report domestic violence they overhear rather than keeping quiet.
‘IT’S EVIDENCE’
The clip shows someone sitting reading a book while on the other side of their living room wall, an angry man can be heard shouting “you’re not allowed to talk” and a woman screaming before she falls silent.
The caption reads: “Nearly 1 in 5 murders in London are the result of domestic violence. So if you hear domestic violence, call 999. You make the call. We’ll make it stop.”
In an odd twist, the link to the video came from an account called Ealing Labour For Corbyn, which had posted it on Saturday and written: “This powerful film made by the Met Police encourages those that hear possible domestic abuse to call them immediately.
“Those that argue that people should mind their own business should be ashamed of themselves.”
Commons Speaker John Bercow yesterday insisted the public should raise concerns about domestic abuse as Labour’s Jess Philips blasted Boris supporters for insisting such rows were “private family matters”.
The prominent Labour backbencher said women’s charities had been forced to reissue statements to assert that people witnessing domestic abuse should “of course” call the police and gather evidence “where they can”.
And the Speaker backed her call for MPs to undergo Commons training courses to educate them about the problem.
She stormed: “I have been shocked and appalled at the rush of members of this house to insist on the idea of moving back the idea is this area to suggest that matters such as this are private family matters and issues to be kept within the confines of walls.”
Challenged yesterday afternoon, given her work on tackling domestic abuse, the PM’s official spokesman declined to comment.
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