A pro-Palestine activist has sparked anger after filming himself spitting on the face of the statue of murdered MP Sir David Amess on Chalkwell seafront. The man, who calls himself ‘Angry Jesus’, filmed himself approaching the memorial to the former Southend MP before spitting directly onto the statue’s face. The footage has prompted condemnation from local councillors, just days after Southend marked the fifth anniversary of Sir David’s murder. Sir David was killed while holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October 2021. His statue was unveiled in April 2024 as a permanent tribute to his decades of public service and tireless campaigning for Southend to become a city. Cllr Matt Dent condemned the incident, describing the act as “an assault on the city of Southend, and on common decency”, adding that he hopes Essex Police will “throw the book at this individual”. Southend City Council leader Daniel Cowan also spoke out, saying: “This individual is behaving vilely and that behaviour is not welcome in our city.” The seafront statue, overlooking the Thames Estuary, was funded through donations and unveiled in the presence of Sir David’s family. It’s unclear whether the incident has been reported to Essex Police or whether an investigation is under way.