Following Elon Musk comments that “civil war is inevitable” following several days of unrest in the UK, the Prime Minister’s spokesman warned that anyone calling for violence online would face the full force of the law.
Mr Musk, a billionaire from Company X, made the following comments on the social media platform under a video of rioters setting off fireworks at police.
“There is no justification for such comments,” Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said.
“Anyone who calls for violence online will face the full force of the law.”
“Online platforms will be held responsible.” Image
Sir Keir said he had previously told ministers, as did police chiefs. At Monday’s COBRA crisis meeting, it was said that “the law applies online too.”
“So when you call for violence, it doesn’t matter whether it’s happening online or offline,” he added.
“That’s why I expect that people will be arrested, charged and prosecuted in the same way as those who participate in person on the streets.
“Similarly, anyone convicted of an online offence can expect the same response.”
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the Government was working with social media platforms to ensure that disinformation was removed, but more could be done.
Social media companies have a responsibility to remove disinformation and will be held to account, he added.
Technology Minister Peter Kyle said the responsibility for harmful social media content “lies primarily with the individuals and groups who create it”.
“But there is no denying that social media provides a platform for this hate,” Kyle added.
“We have made it clear to these companies that they have a responsibility to not harm those who seek to harm and divide our society and we are working closely to ensure that companies meet this responsibility.” More than 400 people have been arrested since the unrest began last Tuesday.
The case began in Southport following the arrest of Axel Rudakubana, who was charged with the murder of three girls and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Alice DaSilva Aguiar, 9, and Bebe King, 6, died in a knife attack in the Merseyside town last Monday.
False information online suggested the person arrested was a Muslim refugee who came to the UK in a small boat last year.
Rudakubana was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, who later moved to a village near Southport.
Controversial influencer Andrew Tate further strengthened the false narrative by saying the attacker was an “illegal immigrant”.
Separately, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage questioned the veracity of police stating that the attack was not “terror-related”.
Sir Keir said an “army” of specialist police officers was on standby to deal with further violent riots.
The Prime Minister also announced that the criminal justice system would be “strengthened” and courts would be kept open for longer.
He called for the names of the accused to be made public as soon as possible.
Sir Keir added: “Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest – it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities.”
