Katie Hopkins' Rochdale tweets investigated by police

Katie Hopkins first came to the public's attention on the BBC TV show The Apprentice in 2007

Police are investigating Twitter comments by newspaper columnist Katie Hopkins suggesting men of Pakistani origin in Rochdale were sex abusers.

Labour politician Simon Danczuk reported her to Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), claiming she had incited racial hatred.

Ms Hopkins began a series of tweets after he took part in celebrations in the town for Pakistan's National Day.

Greater Manchester Police said it was reviewing the contents of the tweets.

'Crass comments'

Ms Hopkins, 40, posted the messages to her account after Mr Danczuk tweeted a picture of himself helping raise the Pakistan flag at Rochdale town hall on 23 March. At the time, Mr Danczuk was the MP for Rochdale.

The Sun columnist wrote: "Raising a Pakistani flag in Rochdale is not helping community cohesion. it is inflammatory. @SimonDanczuk you & your party disgust me."

She later sent a picture of eight men convicted of child sex exploitation offences in Greater Manchester, asking Mr Danczuk if they were his friends too.

Mr Danczuk, 48, said Rochdale has faced up to the "heinous crime" of child grooming "in a way that's managed to keep our communities together".

"To equate the Pakistan flag with child abuse, as she has done on social media over the last week, is absurd and it creates a dangerous environment where extreme intolerance becomes acceptable," he said.

"I'm not prepared to allow people like Hopkins, who know nothing about our town, stir up tensions in such a dangerously provocative way that could lead to innocent people being attacked by extremists."

MP Simon Danczuk said Hopkins' crass comments are not helpful

He claimed he has been threatened by extremists and groups have pledged to march in Rochdale as a result of Hopkins' tweets.

Ms Hopkins, who has appeared on a number of reality TV shows, has yet to comment.

However, she posted on her Twitter account: "Thanks for the kind messages of support. Police request: please can you only contact them when you're NOT offended."

A GMP spokesman confirmed it had received a complaint via Greater Manchester PCC and said: "It has been passed onto the Rochdale division and will be reviewed."