The head of London's Metropolitan Police has warned that officials will crack down not only on British citizens for their comments about the unrest in the UK, but also on American citizens.
“We will bring the full force of the law to bear on people. Whether you're in this country committing crimes on the streets or online, we will come after you,” Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told Sky News.
In recent days, riots have broken out across the UK following false rumours spread online that an asylum seeker was responsible for a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event that left three girls dead and others injured. The killings, allegedly committed by an 18-year-old British citizen born to Rwandan parents, sparked a series of violent protests that added to wider concerns about the scale of immigration into the UK.
Images of violent clashes between anti-immigration protesters and groups of counter-protesters, some of whom were seen waving Palestinian flags, have gone viral on social media, with the government warning that sharing such content can have serious consequences.
One key aspect that makes this apparent crackdown on social media particularly shocking to critics is that the British government is threatening to extradite US citizens from the US to be jailed in the UK for violating its rules on online political speech.
The British government announced that it will not only crack down on British citizens for commenting on the riots in the UK, but also on American citizens. (News from heaven)
UK RIOTS PLUNG COUNTRY INTO WORST UNREST IN YEARS; PRIME MINISTER VOWS TO APPLY 'FULL FORCE OF LAW'
A Sky News reporter asked Commissioner Rowley to elaborate on his warning, arguing that high-profile figures have been “inciting hatred” and that “people like Elon Musk” have been involved. She then asked what the police force’s plan will be “when it comes to dealing with people who are inciting this kind of behaviour behind the keyboard and who may be in another country”.
Rowley responded to the journalist by saying: “Being a keyboard warrior doesn't protect you from the law.”
“You can be guilty of incitement offences, of inciting racial hatred, there are numerous terrorist offences relating to the publication of material,” he said. “All of those offences apply if people provoke hatred and violence on the streets, and we will pursue those people, just as we will physically confront thugs and vandals on the streets who are causing problems for communities.”
Protesters clash with police during the “Enough is Enough” protest in Whitehall, London, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, following the fatal stabbing of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance and yoga class earlier this month in Southport. (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)
UK GOVERNMENT IS 'SCORING SOCIAL MEDIA' TO ARREST PEOPLE SHARING 'HARMFUL' IMAGES OF RIOTS REGARDLESS OF INTENT
Elon Musk has made headlines for criticising Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Response to the riots over the past week, suggesting the UK is heading for “civil war”.
He also responded to a video of someone allegedly arrested for offensive online comments with a question: “Is this Britain or the Soviet Union?”
Starmer's spokesman said there was “no justification” for Musk's comments and added that social media companies “can and should do” more to combat misinformation, the BBC reported. He added that such companies “have a responsibility” to stop the spread of criminal activity and limit disinformation.
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Fox Business' Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
