Ex-uni lecturer behind ‘cancel Brexit’ petition accused of threatening to gun down Theresa May in Facebook posts claims she’s been hacked
THE ex-uni lecturer behind a petition to revoke Article 50 threatened to shoot Theresa May in a Facebook post, it is claimed.
Former college lecturer Margaret Anne Georgiadou launched the online appeal to keep Britain in the EU that more than four million Remainers have signed.
Political blogger Guido Fawkes then claimed to have found undated Facebook posts in which she wrote: "If I got hold of her 'gun' I'd shoot her [Theresa May] in the name of patriotism."
But Ms Georgiadou claims she's been hacked.
Responding to a comment about the post on her Facebook page, Ms Georgiadou denied the allegation, saying: "This is ridiculous. I have never threatened to kill anyone."
The original post is understood to have been deleted, and Ms Georgiadou has not yet responded to The Sun Online's request for a comment.
The former college lecturer also wrote on Twitter that her Facebook had been hacked this morning - after her alleged posts were published by Guido - and that she was closing her account.
Ms Georgiadou appeared on LBC radio yesterday to explain the popularity of her petition — which has been endorsed by celebrities including Jennifer Saunders, Brian Cox and Andy Serkis.
"The government ignored us, they didn't have any discussion with Remainers," she said.
"With a referendum, this is what happens because it's not very democratic, it's majoritarian, the majority wins, it's ruled by the majority for the majority — sod the minority.
This is ridiculous. I never threatened to kill anyone
Margaret Anne Georgiadou
"Whereas true democracy includes everybody's opinion in society."
The petition attracted more than one million signatures in under 24 hours causing the site to crash multiple times as people rushed to share it.
Analysis of the poll — which is the most popular government petition ever — shows that most signatures are from areas which overwhelmingly voted to stay in the EU during the referendum in 2016.
Popular areas included London, Cambridge and Oxford.
The text of the petition reads: "The government repeatedly claims exiting the EU is the 'will of the people'.
"We need to put a stop to this claim by proving the strength of public support now, for remaining in the EU.
"A People's Vote may not happen — so vote now."
In December last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50 if it wants to, cancelling the entire Brexit process.
But after an extension was agreed by EU leaders on Thursday, the UK is still set to leave on May 22 if Mrs May can get MPs to back her withdrawal deal.
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