Musk hits back after PM criticises UK 'civil war' post

Elon Musk, the well-known tech billionaire and owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, has found himself in a heated exchange with Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This conflict arose after Musk made a controversial statement suggesting that a 'civil war is inevitable' in the UK, following a disturbing video that depicted individuals launching fireworks at police officers. The Prime Minister's spokesperson quickly responded, asserting that there was 'no justification' for Musk's remarks and emphasizing that social media companies have a responsibility to take action in such situations. In a subsequent post on X, Musk replied to the Prime Minister's comments, which condemned attacks on mosques and Muslim communities, by questioning, 'Shouldn't you be concerned about attacks on all communities? ' He also shared a video that appeared to show a person being arrested for making offensive comments online, provocatively asking, 'Is this Britain or the Soviet Union? ' Musk further criticized the police's response to the unrest, suggesting that it seemed biased. The Prime Minister assured the public that there would be 'substantive sentencing' for some of the rioters by the end of the weekend, warning that anyone involved, whether directly or online, would likely face consequences within a week. When asked about Musk's comments, Starmer reiterated, 'My focus is on ensuring our communities are safe. That is my sole focus. ' He stressed the importance of supporting the police in their efforts to maintain order. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander also weighed in, condemning Musk's remarks as 'totally unjustifiable' and 'pretty deplorable. ' The unrest in the UK has persisted for nearly a week, triggered by the tragic stabbing of three girls in Southport. This violence has spread to various towns and cities across England and parts of Northern Ireland, fueled by misinformation circulating online, as well as rising anti-immigration sentiments. Over the weekend, protests erupted in multiple locations, leading to clashes between demonstrators and police. In one instance, a man with tattoos was seen confronting a police officer, seemingly engaged in a heated argument. When questioned about allegations of biased policing in the UK, Alexander dismissed these claims as 'baseless assertions' that undermine the hard work of police officers who strive to uphold the law. She emphasized that social media companies have a 'moral responsibility' to promote calm and combat the spread of misinformation. The Prime Minister's spokesperson echoed this sentiment, stating that social media firms must ensure that criminal activities, including those originating from outside the UK, are not disseminated online. However, they refrained from specifying which countries they believed were responsible for the misleading posts. Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute for IT, known as BCS, has called on the media regulator Ofcom to consider imposing fines on X due to the recent unrest. Adam Leon Smith, a fellow of BCS, remarked, 'When misinformation leads to riots and unrest, there must be consequences. ' He urged Ofcom to enforce the Online Safety Act promptly and impose significant fines if they find that X has mishandled the situation. On Monday, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle met with representatives from TikTok, Meta (the parent company of Facebook), Google, and X to emphasize their responsibility in curbing the spread of hateful misinformation and incitement. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also stated that the government would not tolerate 'armchair thuggery' and that social media companies need to take responsibility for posts that encourage criminal behavior. Fires have been reported in numerous towns and cities, including Sunderland, where a building was seen engulfed in flames. The BBC has reached out to X, Meta, TikTok, Snap, Telegram, and Signal for comments regarding the situation. A source at Snap, which operates Snapchat, indicated that they have not been contacted by the UK government in relation to the unrest. Snapchat boasts 21 million monthly users in the UK. Telegram stated that its moderators are actively monitoring the situation and removing channels and posts that promote violence, emphasizing that calls to violence are strictly prohibited by their terms of service. The laws concerning incitement in the UK predate social media and are part of the Public Order Act 1986. These laws encompass provoking violence and harassment, as well as participating in riots. The Online Safety Act, which became law in 2023 but has not yet fully come into effect, will require social media companies to take robust action against illegal content and activities, including racially or religiously aggravated offenses and inciting violence. The criminal offenses introduced by this act will cover sending threatening communications online and sharing false information intended to cause serious harm. On Monday, Sir Keir emphasized that 'criminal law applies online as well as offline. ' Musk's comments have drawn criticism from various quarters, including satirist Armando Iannucci, who remarked that Musk had been 'taken in by your own platform, which amplifies noise at the expense of facts. ' Sunder Katwala, director of the think tank British Future, noted that Musk's post was perpetuating a narrative that could lead individuals with extreme views to condone violence in defense of their group. He called for strong responses from the government, Ofcom, and parliament regarding Musk's statements. An Ofcom spokesperson stated that they are 'moving quickly' to implement the Online Safety Act so it can be enforced as soon as possible. They anticipate that the illegal harms duties will come into force by the end of the year, with additional responsibilities for the largest services in 2026. Police officers have faced injuries during the protests against immigration in Rotherham, and there have been reports of vehicles set ablaze, surrounded by police riot vans.