The British Army has opened an investigation into a video circulating on social media that appears to show serving soldiers shooting at a picture of Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the UK’s opposition Labour Party.
The 25-second video initially shared on Snapchat with the caption, “Happy with that,” appears to show four men in military uniform firing handguns at a large image of Corbyn during target practice.
A video of some British Para’s firing shots at a picture of the UK leader of opposition, you ok with this @BritishArmy ????@BBCPolitics @Channel4News @guardian @OwenJones84 @DawnHFoster @itvnews @PeoplesMomentum @Peston @paulmasonnews @AaronBastani @SkyNews @AyoCaesar @ToryFibs pic.twitter.com/GHvz2fjogk
— #BloodySunday #BallymurphyMassacre (@LuvFB_HateFifa) April 3, 2019
It is not clear whether the video had been manipulated.
“We are aware of a video circulating on social media, this behavior is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the Army expects, a full investigation has been launched,” an Army spokesman told CNN in a statement.
The UK’s Press Association news agency said the footage was captured in Kabul, Afghanistan in recent days and showed the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment engaged in target practice on a simulation range.
In a statement to CNN, the Labour Party called the video “alarming and unacceptable” and expressed “confidence” in the Ministry of Defense to “investigate and act.”
You mean “totally understandable”.
BBC News – Jeremy Corbyn target practice film ‘totally unacceptable’https://t.co/lmYIBJ3AmV
— @ (@rem_ack) April 3, 2019
A minister at the UK’s Ministry of Defence, Tobias Ellwood, tweeted that he is looking into the video, describing it as “unacceptable.”
Labour Member of Parliament Dan Jarvis also described the video as “shameful and utterly unacceptable,” in a tweet on Wednesday, adding it “goes against the values and standards” of the British Army.
Brig Perry, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, told BBC that 400 soldiers from his brigade are working with NATO and Afghan partners in Afghanistan, where the video was filmed.
British soldiers filmed firing at photo of Labour leader, army to probe https://t.co/qtFwplgUuq pic.twitter.com/ohmkziGRd2
— RT (@RT_com) April 3, 2019
He said the soldiers are doing an outstanding job, but the shooting incident will be investigated. He emphasized that the army will always be an apolitical organization.
The spokesperson for Prime Minister Theresa May told BBC that she finds it “clearly unacceptable.” She has not watched the video but is aware of the incident.
Defense secretary Gavin Williamson complimented the army for promptly investigating the incident. Rory Stewart, the Conservative minister for prisons, said the soldiers’ behavior was outrageous.
“They should not be political—they are there to defend the country and the Queen,” he said.
‘This is completely wrong – our soldiers should not be political’@RoryStewartUK on footage which appears to show soldiers firing shots at a picture of Jeremy Corbyn.https://t.co/isNrWdXe83 pic.twitter.com/ohqN9FzUKh
— Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) April 3, 2019
The video has emerged at a time when tensions are high over Brexit and there’s a heightened alarm about the safety of MPs.
Epoch Times reporter Venus Upadhayaya contributed to this report.
