Tesla CEO Elon Musk has referred to the British Prime Minister as “two-tier Keir” in response to a conspiracy theory suggesting that police are treating white far-right protesters more harshly than minority groups amid riots. This follows Downing Street’s earlier statement that it would no longer engage with the billionaire owner of X, formerly known as Twitter after his comments about a potential civil war in the UK were deemed to have “no justification.”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
In a series of tweets targeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Musk questioned whether the riots were happening in Britain or the Soviet Union, referencing a video purportedly showing someone being arrested for offensive comments on Facebook.
Arrested for making comments on Facebook!
Is this Britain or the Soviet Union?
Is this accurate @CommunityNotes? https://t.co/ov7lKEUl2C
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
Downing Street criticised Musk for earlier suggesting that “civil war is inevitable” under a video of violent riots in Liverpool.
Civil war is inevitable
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 4, 2024
In a letter to Labour MPs, Chief Whip Alan Campbell urged them to avoid amplifying misinformation on social media and to refrain from engaging in online debates. He emphasised that parliamentarians should focus on amplifying positive aspects of their local communities and engage with community responses, including faith leaders, to help “restore order and calm”, Guardian reported. He reiterated that MPs should not engage in online debates, stating, “What is happening is not a matter for debate; it is an issue of crime and disorder.”
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British Govt Ministers Refute Allegations Of “Two-Tier” Policing
British government Ministers, including Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Courts Minister Heidi Alexander, have strongly refuted suggestions of “two-tier” policing. Musk’s promotion of the idea that police approaches differ based on race has been echoed by far-right figures like Tommy Robinson and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage amidst a series of far-right riots across England and Belfast, Guardian’s report stated.
According to BBC, Alexander called the ‘two-tier policing’ claim a “baseless assertion” that does a “disservice to police men and women who go out to do their jobs and uphold the rule of law”. She stressed that social media companies had a “moral responsibility” to appeal for calm and help reduce misinformation.
A spokesperson for Starmer stated on Monday that the violence came from a small minority who “do not speak for Britain,” and reaffirmed that the British Prime Minister does not share Musk’s sentiments. “There’s no justification for comments like that,” the spokesperson said, as per Guardian’s report. “What we’ve seen in this country is organised, violent thuggery that has no place, either on our streets or online.”
Responding to the theory of “two-tier” policing, Mahmood posted on X: “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re protesting – if you turn up in a mask, with a weapon, intent on causing disorder, you will face the full force of the law. To those working with police and community organisations with pride and civic duty – you are the best of us.”
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re protesting – if you turn up in a mask, with a weapon, intent on causing disorder, you will face the full force of the law.
To those working with police and community organisations with pride and civic duty – you are the best of us.
— Shabana Mahmood MP (@ShabanaMahmood) August 6, 2024
On Monday, Farage condemned the riots, stating that “the levels of intimidation and threat to life have no place in a functioning democracy.” However, he also claimed there was a widespread impression of “two-tier policing,” contributing to a “sense of injustice”, as per the report.
