Britain First leader Paul Golding arrested in Belfast

The leader of Britain First – the far-right group which gained international notoriety when it was retweeted by Donald Trump – has been arrested in Northern Ireland in connection with speeches made at a rally in Belfast.

Paul Golding, 35, was arrested shortly after arriving at Belfast magistrates court. He was accompanying his deputy, Jayda Fransen, 31, to her first appearance after being charged with “using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour” at the same rally.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said: “Detectives investigating speeches made at the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally on Sunday 6 August this year have arrested a 35-year-old man today, Thursday 14 December, in the Belfast area. He has been taken to Musgrave PSNI station for interview. There are no further details at this stage.”

Fransen, from Penge in south-east London, is facing charges relating to a speech she delivered at the rally, attended by around 50 people, outside Belfast City Hall. Fransen denies the charges.

The judge, Fiona Bagnall, considered police bail requests to limit Fransen’s involvement in any further rallies and her use of social media. Bagnall did not limit Fransen’s social media activity, but said was not to be within 500 metres of any demonstration or parade in Northern Ireland.

Fransen was released on bail and the case will go before the court again on 9 January.

Earlier this week, a video recorded in Belfast, in which Fransen spoke of the “Islamification of the mainland”, was posted on the Britain First Facebook page. She also referred to the Belfast Islamic Centre, located in the south of the city, as a “den of iniquity”.

The comments have been branded “grotesque and offensive” by SDLP councillor Tim Attwood.

A PSNI statement said a report regarding a video posted on social media relating to a speech made in Belfast on Tuesday 12 December had been received and “enquiries are ongoing”.

After court proceedings ended on Thursday Fransen was arrested in connection with an incident in Belfast on Wednesday.

A PSNI statement said: “Detectives investigating an incident at a peace wall in Belfast on Wednesday 14 December, have arrested a 31-year-old woman in the Belfast area today. She has been taken to Musgrave PSNI Station for interview. There are no further details at this stage.”

A diplomatic row erupted between the UK and the US earlier this month after the US president, Donald Trump, retweeted videos posted on Twitter by Fransen. The UK prime minister, Theresa May, criticised Trump over sharing the far-right group’s propaganda.

“I am very clear that retweeting from Britain First was the wrong thing to do,” she said at the time.