UK Man Seeks Asylum in the USA After Social Media Post

Will the Trump administration make his wish come true?

January 06, 2026 By Yonatan Stern

John Richelieu-Booth is a mild mannered, 50-year-old IT Consultant from the north of England. He’s not a criminal or a political activist, nor has he ever been a gun owner. However, the aftermath of a trip he took to Florida in July changed his life forever. In an in-depth interview with Firearms News, Jon told us his harrowing story.

To celebrate his 50th birthday, an American friend of his invited Jon to visit his homestead in the Florida panhandle over the 2025 Independence Day weekend. While enjoying his time celebrating on the farm, Jon’s friend asked if he would like to try shooting some of his firearms. Jon had never handled a firearm before (other than owning an air pistol in the late 1980s) and was delighted at the opportunity to try something so out of reach for most Brits.

Jon and his friend spent the afternoon plinking at targets with pistols, rifles, and a shotgun, which Jon describes as being one of the best experiences he’s ever had.

Jon’s friend took photos of him shooting some of the firearms and proceeded to email them to him after he returned to the UK on July 25th. A couple weeks later, Jon began posting photos of his trip to America on social media, including the shooting photos. That’s when the trouble began.

Man standing next to table with rifles — Jon Richelelieu-Booth posing with some of the rifles he and his friend shot at his Florida farm on July 4th. (Photo provided by John-Richelieu-Booth.)

The day after Jon shared the photos online, police showed up at his house and inform him that there has been a complaint about a social media post he made. Jon asked the officer which post, and the officer then proceeded to show him the post with a shotgun from LinkedIn. Jon informed the officer that the photo was taken while on holiday in the United States, offered to show him the geo-tag of the image, and assured the officer that he is not in possession of any contraband firearms in his home. The officer replied that it wasn’t necessary and then departed. Jon assumed that that was the end of the story, but boy, was he wrong.

Ten days later, Jon received a knock on his door. It was the same police officer that had visited him the first time, but there was a second officer with him this time. He was told that he was under arrest on suspicion of possessing a firearm and held overnight in jail. While in custody, they proceeded to take samples of his DNA.

While under interrogation, the police showed him the complaint, which stated that his social media post was intended as a “threat of violence”. The officers proceeded to ask him, “How do you think this makes people feel?”

What apparently had led to the arrest was a business dispute with a former associate of Mr. Booth who had been monitoring his social media. Even though the post in no way mentioned the individual with whom he had the dispute, and in no way indicated violent intentions towards anyone, this individual was able to use the post as evidence of Mr. Booth supposedly posting a “violent threat.”

After spending a night in jail, Jon was released on bail - on conditions. His cell phone was confiscated, and the police refused to return it to him, but if Jon then thought that his odyssey was finally over, he was again very much mistaken. Several days later, the police again show up at his home, banging on his door at 1:30 AM. Low and behold, it was the same police officer, who informed Jon that he was yet again under arrest. This time, they entered his home, tearing through everything apparently searching for a shotgun or other firearms. They came up empty handed, but did confiscate every single electronic device he had, including his laptop, which he relies on for work as an IT consultant.

He was once again taken to the cell and charged with “breaking conditions of his bail”. He was released at 4:00 PM the next day, but the police would again not return any of his devices. Due to the fact that the police could not find a firearm in his possession, they dropped the charge of firearm possession against him, and instead charged him with “Imagery and Language Designed to Cause Offense.” In response to an inquiry about Jon’s ordeal by Firearms News, the West Yorkshire Police stated, “Whether someone was arrested and details of that arrest we can not discuss at all.”

Jon says that this ordeal has destroyed his life in the UK. He is no longer able to work due to his electronic devices being confiscated, and the criminal charges have severely tarnished his reputation in the community and within the business world. Jon is a Christian, and says that God has guided him through this ordeal. Jon has since given up any hope of a future in the UK. He told Firearms News that, “1984 was supposed to be a novel, not a f**king instructional manual!”

He says he wants to live in a country where he has free speech and a 2nd Amendment. His friend in Florida suggested he reach out to President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio to request asylum in the US. Jon now believes that his future lies in the US and is doing everything he can to get approved to immigrate.

JRB: No, we do not have the luxury of the Second Amendment. Under the Firearm Act (1968) you can legally own a Firearm (bolt-action, lever-action, shotguns with capacity of more than two rounds are a "FAC Section 1" and Smooth-bore Shotguns under "SGC Section 2"). However, most handguns, fully Automatic firearms and certain high-energy self-loading rifles are banned. It should be noted you can also own an air-weapon, but these are restricted to certain ages.

FN: After this experience, would you want to move to a country with more personal liberties?

JRB: Absolutely 1,000%. Kier Starmer and the Labor Government are an actual dictatorship who are silencing free-speech, arresting folks for posting on social media and cancelling elections while also playing into the racial narrative making it an offense to criticize immigration or certain communities who are responsible for grooming children in northern England (Bradford and Rotherham stand out as two Grooming Hubs). It is my plan, God willing, once I have sold my rental property and my current home to move to Florida in the summer of 2026. Ideally in time for Fourth of July.

FN: The editor-in-chief of this magazine has made the statement for decades that: “The British could have taught the Bolsheviks a thing or two about totalitarianism.” Do you agree?

JRB: Most definitely, I'm not saying the David Cameron / Boris Johnson / Lizz Truss / Rishi Sunak Conservative Administrations of the last 14 Years were any better, but the erosion of our rights, the punishment for speaking out against the influx of military age male (economic) migrants, and silencing of free speech through governmental overreach by Kier Starmer these last 18 months is truly staggering. It's particularly impressive that when Vice President Vance mentioned concerns over free speech in the Oval Office that Kier Starmer stuttered that, "we have free speech in the UK and will continue to have for some time," which is obviously a blatant lie.

FN: Are you in favor of gun ownership? If so, to what extent?

JRB: Unlike many [in GB], I am most definitely in favor of gun ownership and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. You cannot rely on the police getting "there" in time, so I would very much support someone protecting themselves and their families with an appropriate level of response, and if that involves taking the life of an assailant or dealing with a threat to life and limb, then so be it. Also, if you disarm a population then you see exactly what is happening in the UK - the rise of a complete and total totalitarian regime.

Firearms News will be following this story closely and reporting on any updates.

About the Author

Yonatan Stern is an IDF veteran and professional firearms instructor. He is the director of Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Training Academy in Honesdale, PA.