A full-blown “Twitter war” has erupted between the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, and the left-wing British government over anti-immigration riots, setting the stage for a battle over censorship between the social media giants and the British government.
The new Labour government has rushed to assign blame for the domestic unrest caused by mass immigration and Muslim vigilantes who have sowed chaos across the country, targeting social media, including right-wing activists such as Tommy Robinson and Exxon chairman Elon Musk, for stoking tensions in England.
Musk effectively embodied the role of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s troll in chief, labelling the left-wing leader “double-crossing” over allegations that the British government is policing violence and rioting, primarily by working-class white men, differently than it is the country’s Muslim communities, who have also taken to the streets en masse in large, sometimes violent gangs over the past week.
Starmer’s Oath Musk, who said the government “will not tolerate attacks on mosques or Muslim communities”, responded on social media, “Shouldn’t we be concerned about attacks on all communities?”
Is this still happening? translator https://t.co/4hbYdfB03Z
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
Musk also Highlighting British authorities have a history of turning a blind eye to criminal activity among Muslims, including the Rotherham grooming gang scandal, in which at least 1,400 girls were systematically sexually abused and trafficked by members of the city’s Pakistani community over a period of years. Local authorities knew about the problem but ignored it, fearing “racial tensions” that could result from arresting paedophiles from a minority community.
Musk questioned whether such crimes were still being committed and ignored in the UK, and anti-grooming gang campaigners such as former detective Maggie Oliver say the problem persists.
Elon Musk warns of ‘civil war’ in UK as Muslim gangs clash with anti-immigration protestershttps://t.co/T78Kq1Vfy1
—Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 5, 2024
After the Tesla chief executive suggested that civil war in England was “inevitable” given the decades-old bipartisan agenda of allowing millions of foreigners into the country to “integrate without assimilate” “incompatible cultures”, Justice Minister Heidi Alexander It is called He called Musk’s actions “highly irresponsible” and said “everyone should appeal for calm.”
“The use of words like ‘civil war’ is never acceptable. We’re seeing police officers being seriously injured, we’re seeing buildings being burned, so I really think that anyone who has a platform should use their power responsibly,” Alexander said.
“It’s ridiculous to sit behind a computer screen or a cell phone screen and think that’s going to protect you from the law,” she said. Added“So we’re going to take a very robust approach towards social media companies.”
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has launched into a string of criticism and memes mocking the state of free speech in the UK. include Imitation Family Guy He posted a picture of an execution by electric chair, captioning it: “For making a Facebook comment the UK government doesn’t like in 2030.”
The owner of X is also Reply One meme showed men in military uniforms, guns drawn and with the Union Jack painted on their backs, approaching a woman’s front door, with the caption: “I saw your meme, get outside!”
In 2030, the UK government made a Facebook comment they didn’t like. pic.twitter.com/UhKDLeCPJb
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
The post proved prescient, with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announcing that Jordan Parler, 28, had become the first person to be convicted for Facebook posts linked to the anti-immigrant riots of the past week, pleading guilty to “inciting hatred” online.
according to Sky News reported that the suspected Parler attacker had shared messages on social media platforms calling for an attack on a hotel in Leeds, which was attacked during rioting in the city on Saturday, though there is no evidence that the suspected Parler attacker was present at the scene.
Speaking after the guilty verdict, CPS head of legal services Nick Price said: “Let’s be clear: anyone who incited this heinous behaviour will face severe penalties. Parler incited violence through their online posts and put the safety of people staying at the hotel at risk.”
“The CPS will continue to act swiftly and robustly in these cases to ensure that those responsible for such deplorable criminal behaviour are brought to justice.”
Arrested for commenting on Facebook!
Is this Britain or the USSR?
Is this accurate? @Community Note? https://t.co/ov7lKEUl2C
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
The new Labour government’s eagerness to crack down on social media could be a harbinger of upcoming legal battles with Elon Musk’s X and other companies. Last year, Rishi Sunak’s nominally Conservative government passed the Online Safety Act, vastly expanding the government’s ability to police the internet.
The law has not yet come into force, but it would empower UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom to impose fines of £18 million ($22 million) or 10% of annual worldwide turnover, whichever is higher, on social media companies that do not censor in accordance with UK government standards. The impending restrictions could severely restrict freedom of speech in the UK and may even lead to companies like X leaving the country altogether.
Censorship of global tech giants: UK broadcasting regulator hires Meta and Google staff to police internet https://t.co/Vk9ZwOjwG3
—Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 10, 2024
