The billionaire owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, has sparked a controversy with Downing Street over the ongoing riots in UK cities, amid accusations that social media
is fueling the unrest.
In a comment on his platform, Elon Musk stated that "civil war is inevitable," a remark explicitly rejected by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official spokesman, who asserted there was “no justification” for such statements. Musk later replied to a post by Starmer, questioning the prime minister’s decision to provide extra protection for mosques.
This dispute complicates the government’s efforts to push social media companies, including X, to more actively remove disinformation believed to be inciting the riots.
The unrest, now in its seventh day, has seen far-right and anti-racism protesters clashing in various cities, including Plymouth, where police reported damage to one of their vans and officers encountering "a level of violence." In Birmingham, hundreds of Muslims formed a protective ring around a mosque and local shops amid rumors of a planned far-right march.
In response to the violence, countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, the UAE, and Australia have issued travel alerts for their citizens traveling to the UK.
Despite the escalating violence, Downing Street has rejected calls to deploy the army or recall Parliament. Starmer also addressed claims of “two-tier policing” after Nigel Farage suggested the recent riots were dealt with more harshly than other protests. Starmer dismissed these claims, and Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley denied accusations of deliberately knocking a reporter’s microphone when questioned about the issue.
The government has accused social media platforms of exacerbating the riots through the spread of false information, particularly claims that the suspect in the Southport killings was an asylum seeker. Downing Street stated that current actions by social media companies to address misleading content “don’t go far enough” and warned that foreign state actors were amplifying disinformation online.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle held discussions with executives from X, YouTube, Meta, Google, and TikTok about the spread of “hateful misinformation and incitement” related to the riots, urging them to take swift action.
Elon Musk, one of the most influential tech figures in the US and owner of Tesla, has commented multiple times on the UK riots. In one instance, he responded to footage of rioters by stating “civil war is inevitable.” He also responded to a post by Starmer about protecting Muslim communities by questioning why there wasn't concern for "all communities."
This exchange followed Starmer’s announcement of additional security for mosques at risk of being targeted. Musk has previously faced criticism for reinstating accounts of far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
Downing Street condemned Musk’s “civil war” remark. The prime minister’s spokesman stated, “There’s no justification for comments like that. What we’ve seen in this country is organized thuggery, which has no place on our streets or online. As the home secretary said, we’re dealing with a minority of thugs who do not speak for Britain.”
Peter Kyle emphasized the need for tech giants to act swiftly against hate spreaders online, stating, “Different companies take different approaches, and I expect platforms to ensure that those seeking to spread hate online are not being facilitated.”
Meanwhile, Starmer faced criticism from senior Tories for not calling a Cobra meeting quickly enough in response to the riots. Although one was eventually held, James Cleverly, a Tory leadership contender, said the government “should have been quicker” in its response. No 10 rejected this criticism. Photo by Tesla Owners Club Belgium, Wikimedia commons.