The UK government has urged tech billionaire Elon Musk to act responsibly after his provocative posts on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Officials claim these posts could exacerbate the ongoing violent unrest in the country.
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander made a public appeal on Tuesday morning following Musk's post suggesting that a civil war is inevitable in the UK. Musk further inflamed tensions by alleging that the British criminal justice system is more lenient towards Muslims than far-right activists and comparing Britain's social media regulations to those of the Soviet Union.
"Using language such as 'civil war' is completely unacceptable," Alexander told Times Radio. "We are witnessing police officers being seriously injured and buildings being set on fire. It's crucial for anyone with a platform to use it responsibly."
The UK has been experiencing over a week of violent clashes, with police confronting crowds espousing anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments in various cities, from Northern Ireland to southern England. The unrest was sparked by right-wing activists spreading false information about a knife attack that killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event on July 29.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has condemned the riots as far-right thuggery, held an emergency meeting with law enforcement officials and government ministers on Tuesday. He emphasized that those responsible for the violence would face swift punishment.
Over 400 people have been arrested in connection with the violence across more than two dozen towns and cities, with around 100 individuals charged. Starmer has announced plans to strengthen the criminal justice system to handle the situation more effectively.
An 18-year-old man from Bolton, who damaged police cars during the unrest on Sunday, was the first person sentenced. James Nelson received a two-month prison term on Tuesday after pleading guilty to criminal damage in Manchester Magistrates' Court.
"This should send a strong message to anyone involved, whether directly or online, that they will be dealt with swiftly," Starmer said. "Nobody should be participating in this disorder."
When questioned about Musk, Starmer deflected, stating his priority is community safety. The government is calling on social media companies like Musk's X to combat the spread of false and inflammatory information.
Alexander mentioned that the government is considering strengthening the existing Online Safety Act, approved last year but not fully implemented until 2025. "We have been collaborating with social media companies, and some have taken steps like automatic removal of false information, which is commendable," Alexander told the BBC. "However, there is undoubtedly more that they can and should do."
Musk's posts appear to be a response to these regulatory efforts. According to Alex Krasodomski from Chatham House, Musk has been more confrontational with critics than typical Silicon Valley executives, often clashing with UK and EU policymakers over content moderation.
X did not respond to requests for comment, continuing its trend of rarely engaging with media inquiries.
Musk continued to engage in the debate about the violence in the UK. In response to Starmer's post on X, stating that the government would not tolerate attacks on mosques or Muslim communities, Musk questioned, "Shouldn't you be concerned about attacks on all communities?" He also highlighted a video claiming to show a Muslim patrol attacking a pub in Birmingham to his 193 million followers.
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