The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into a video which appears to show British army troops firing at a poster on the leader of the Labour Party in the UK Jeremy Corbyn. In the viral video that has been doing rounds on social media, the serving soldiers were seen firing shots at the leader's picture.
The 25-second video clip, which has not been verified by the International Business Times, was 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. It is not clear whether the video has been manipulated.
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
— The Guardian hates Corbyn too (@LuvFB_HateFifa) April 3, 2019
"We are aware of a video circulating on social media, this behaviour is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the Army expects, a full investigation has been launched," an Army spokesman told CNN. A Labour Party spokesman called the behaviour alarming and unacceptable but said they have confidence in the Ministry of Defence to investigate and act on this incident.
The video comes amid heightened tensions about the safety of MPs as tensity rise over Brexit issue. The Press Association news agency of the United Kingdom 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.
Taking to Twitter, a minister at the UK's Ministry of Defence, Tobias Ellwood, said that he is looking into the video, describing it as "unacceptable."
Labour MP Jess Phillips tweeted: "This is absolutely hideous and irresponsible under this or any climate."
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.
