Britain First accused of '˜disrespect' to Belfast City Council

The photo – posted to the Britain First Facebook page at around 3pm – showed Ms Fransen with her hand on the door of the lord mayor’s office with the caption ‘Jayda turning up for work in Belfast City Hall’.

It followed a video posted on the same page the previous evening in which Ms Fransen, who is due to stand trial in Belfast for comments made during a rally outside city hall, thanked her supporters.

The clip features the 31-year-old dressed in council robes and sitting in the lord mayor’s chair.

Belfast City Council confirmed it was looking into the circumstances of Ms Fransen’s video, adding that “the usual procedures for those wishing to film or use council premises were not followed”.

Independent unionist councillor Jolene Bunting, who facilitated the visit, said she did not believe either she or Ms Fransen had done anything wrong: “I did what I usually do with anyone who comes into city hall, I asked if they would like to put the robes on.”

She is due to meet the council’s chief executive about the matter on Friday.

Describing the reaction as “ridiculous”, she added: “People are trying to demonise Britain First.”

The episode was criticised by several councillors including Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Sonia Copeland, who said: “Jayda Fransen’s actions were disrespectful to the office of lord mayor and to the city council itself.

“This incident is rightly being investigated and steps must be taken to ensure there is no repetition.”