British government denounces Musk for provocative posts amid ongoing unrests
(MENAFN) The British government has urged Elon Musk to exercise greater responsibility after the tech billionaire used his social media platform X to make provocative statements that officials believe could exacerbate the ongoing unrest in the country. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander criticized Musk's comments, which included a claim that "civil war is inevitable" in the U.K. Musk further inflamed the situation by highlighting alleged disparities in the British criminal justice system's treatment of Muslims versus far-right activists, and by comparing the U.K.'s approach to social media regulation with Soviet-era practices.
In her remarks to a radio station, Alexander condemned Musk's use of inflammatory language, emphasizing that such rhetoric is unacceptable amid the current turmoil. She pointed out the severity of the situation, noting that police officers have been injured and buildings set alight, and stressed that individuals with significant platforms have a duty to use their influence responsibly.
The unrest in Britain has persisted for over a week, with violent clashes between police and protesters who have been expressing anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments in various cities and towns across the country. The violence erupted after right-wing activists spread misinformation on social media about a tragic knife attack that occurred on July 29 during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event, which resulted in the deaths of three girls.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has labeled the riots as "far-right thuggery," held an emergency meeting with law enforcement and government officials on Tuesday. Following the meeting, Starmer vowed that those responsible for the violence would face swift legal consequences. Over 400 people have been arrested and about 100 charged in connection with the disturbances, with plans to intensify the criminal justice response to the ongoing crisis.
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