A COUNCILLOR who received death threats after voting in favour of turning Walthamstow Stadium into a housing estate has called for a police presence at some town hall meetings.
A 44-year-old man from Walthamstow was among a group who approached planning committee member Cllr Asim Mahmood after the 294-home development was approved and threatened to kill him and his family.
The same man, who has not been named, later telephoned Cllr Mahmood and repeated the threat. A shaken Cllr Mahmood, who lives with his mother and was being visited by his nieces at the time, immediately called police.
The Markhouse ward representative said: "I was shocked by what he said, but not fearful. It was malicious.
"Threatening me is one thing but threatening my family is a whole other level.
"It would be beneficial to have some police security presence at contentious planning meetings.
"It would make people and councillors feel safer and would encourage anyone from acting maliciously."
"Obviously I was worried about their safety but the police set up a panic alarm within 24 hours and arrested the man within four hours. They were excellent."
The man later apologised, saying he felt over-emotional after the decision because he regularly visited Greyhound racing meetings at the stadium before it closed in 2008.
There was a police presence at the town hall during subsequent planning meeting to decide on the future of Walthamstow Stadium's former car park.
The meeting passed without incident.
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