Incel community celebration of Plymouth shooting prompts debate on calls for action

ISD’s Tim Squirrell spoke to The Guardian regarding the glorification of 22-year-old accused shooter, Jake Davidson, in online incel forums after he fatally shot his mother and four others, before killing himself, in Plymouth in August 2021. Prior to his death, Davidson expressed “homophobic and misogynistic tendencies” and anger toward not being able to find a girlfriend.

The tragic event has sparked debates about whether the ‘incel threat’ should be regarded as terrorism or whether other interventions would be more appropriate.

“We need to recognise that many people, particularly young men, who essentially need some combination of social services, mental health support and other kinds of non-securitised intervention are instead being caught up by counter-terrorism programmes,” Tim said.

According to The Guardian, members of the Prevent counter-extremism programme privately shared similar concerns about the short-comings of underfunded mental health services.

Tim Squirrell is the Head of Communications and Editorial at ISD.