To the surprise of absolutely nobody, members of Britain’s left-wing commentariat are demanding that the government shut down the X platform.
Over the past week, Elon Musk and X have become a matter of national debate in Britain as anti-immigration protests spread across the country following the horrific stabbing of schoolchildren by a 17-year-old of Rwandan extraction.
Musk himself has challenged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his response to the protests, labelling him “two-tier Keir” over his desire to crack down on native Brits while protecting Muslim communities from criticism.
Why aren’t all communities protected in Britain? @Keir_Starmer https://t.co/gldyguysNe
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
Now, leftists are demanding the platform be shut down altogether. Among them is the conspiracy theorist Peter Jukes, who compared X to Nazi Germany.
I think of Musk’s horrific version of Twitter a bit like Paris under Nazi occupation. Are you going to give up the city and community you were part of? Some of course suck up and collaborate. Others understandably flee. But some stay, and wait and work for liberation
— Peter Jukes (@peterjukes) August 6, 2024
Times Radio host Calum Macdonald complained there is no policing on the X platform, another word for censorship.
“The town square is burning. There is no policing of Elon Musk’s town square.”@CalumAM reflects on the current state of social media and the UK riots.
https://t.co/lf4mH306Vw | #TimesRadio pic.twitter.com/V0VrOj8Ivb
— Times Radio (@TimesRadio) August 7, 2024
Other influential figures, including one member of the prestigious King’s Council, simply demanded the platform be shut down.
“Elon Musk must be stopped. X must be shut-down in this country.”
Western communist goes full Chairman Mao because he hates free speech. @elonmusk @X pic.twitter.com/dt9je11cWl
— Peter Lloyd (@Suffragent_) August 7, 2024
Pass a short Bill closing Twitter down in the U.K. @Keir_Starmer? There is more than enough reason to do so. One of the richest men in the world is using his platform to cause serious harm – putting lives & communities at risk. @YvetteCooperMP @lisanandy
— Jessica Simor KC (@JMPSimor) August 6, 2024
‘Elon Musk is running into trouble by making outrageous statements and amplifying misinformation.’
As the riots continue, @Sander_vdLinden warns that the government could ‘restrict access to Twitter’, or it could be ‘banned from app stores’. pic.twitter.com/aSmQnAgH6L
— LBC (@LBC) August 6, 2024
HMG needs to enact the full Online Safety Act now, no more consultations. They should call the two (!) execs of UK Twitter in to explain why their CEO is personally boosting hate speech, incitement and disinformation – and pull the plug on the service unless this stops. 1/
— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) August 6, 2024
Should Britain BAN Social Media?
“I think so”
UK Powers have lost complete control of the narrative – people are seeing the truth,
their Lies & Propaganda exposed.Welcome to the UK in 2024 where Fascism is very much on the rise. pic.twitter.com/k7NKwGGjjO
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) August 7, 2024
Meanwhile, some even went as far as to demand the prosecution of X owner Elon Musk.
You can solve this by having Elon Musk arrested
He is a danger not only to Britain but the whole worldHe is purposefully spreading lies and misinformation in order to rally up hate and cause fear
Elon Musk needs to be brought to justice https://t.co/oroZT7yKpc
— Michael J Joyce (@Mike_J_Joyce) August 5, 2024
This.
Absolutely co-signed.
Musk is breaching UK laws – he must be prosecuted – for incitement to violence.
If he isn’t – then society is saying Nazi broligarchs are above the law. https://t.co/BWq5sbuCHe
— Stuart Syvret (@StuartSyvret) August 5, 2024
When the left is under pressure, their immediate impulse is to start censoring and persecuting their opponents. Don’t be surprised if we see that happening in Britain over the coming days.
Elon Musk is playing a dangerous game with Keir Starmer.
Of course, everything he is saying is absolutely correct, but Starmer’s response will simply be to censor social media or simply shut down X altogether.
This is what leftists always do when they feel threatened. pic.twitter.com/6uMlrAbW7L
— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) August 6, 2024