As violent anti-immigration protests sweep across the UK, Elon Musk’s controversial prediction of an inevitable civil war has sparked widespread debate and concern. Here’s the full story.
Racist Riots Sweeping UK
Following days of far-right, anti-immigration riots sweeping the country, the ever-increasing role that social media plays in spreading misinformation and outright lies has been forced into the spotlight.
Rumours and Misinformation
Rumours have spread like wildfire online surrounding the race, religion and motives of accused attacker Axel Rudakubana, with far-right activists and grifters like Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, all too happy to fan the flames of discord with misinformation and demonstrably false assertions to advance their xenophobic agenda.
“We Have to Show Who We Are”
In a national address, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, “The far right are showing who they are – we have to show who we are in response to that.”
Hotels Ablaze, Unrest Continues
Following days of unrest, with hotels housing asylum seekers set ablaze, the far right battling with the police in the streets and anti-racism counter-protests, which, in many cases, far outnumbered the few far-right agitators who had taken to the streets, Starmer publicly admonished social media companies who have been allowing misinformation to infect their platforms.
“Violent Disorder Whipped up Online”
Speaking to reporters, Starmer addressed the bosses of social media companies who had allowed their platforms to become misinformation factories, stating, “Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, that is also a crime, it’s happening on your premises, and the law must be upheld everywhere. That is the single most important duty of government, service rests on security. We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”
Musk’s Unhinged Take
Following Starmer’s press conference, amidst the heightened tensions and ongoing violence, Elon Musk decided that now was the time for him to step into the breach with his unhinged take on the riots sweeping the United Kingdom.
“Civil War Is Inevitable”
Musk, whose behaviour both on and offline has become increasingly erratic in recent months, stirred considerable controversy by claiming that civil war is “inevitable” in the UK.
Far-Right Accounts Amplified
Musk made his incendiary comment in reply to the X account “Libs of Tiktok, a far-right, anti-LGBTQ+, conspiracy peddling account run by former real estate agent turned far-right agitator Chaya Raichik, who posted a video of the unrest on the UK’s streets with the caption “What is going on in the UK? Total madness.”
“Effects of Mass Migration”
Another user, replying to Raichik’s post, responded, “The effects of mass migration and open borders is what’s going on.” Musk replied to this comment, writing, “Civil war is inevitable.”
History of Controversy
This is not the first time that Musk has caused controversy in the UK with his actions and interactions on X, which has become a hotbed of far-right, racist, antisemitic, homophobic and xenophobic content since Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” took over the platform, fired almost all of the content moderation teams, and began engaging with a number of the most prolific conspiratorial accounts on the platform.
Robinson’s Tweet Amplified
Musk, who has legions of cult-like followers on the platform, amplified a Tweet from Tommy Robinson criticising the UK government’s response to the unrest by reposting it with two exclamation marks.
Robinson’s Resort Retreat
Robinson, who has been photographed sunning himself in a luxury resort while the violence he, and others like him, stoked online tears at the fabric of the country, later complained on X after Daily Mail reporters revealed the location of his five-star hotel in Cyprus and asked his followers for financial support for his legal defence fund.
Musk’s X Under Fire
Musk has faced severe criticism throughout his time at the helm of X, which has haemorrhaged both advertisers and users as misinformation and harmful content has become ubiquitous on the platform.
Banned Accounts Restored
Many users previously banned for hate speech, such as Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins, who once compared asylum seekers fleeing to the UK to “cockroaches,” have had their accounts restored.
With the profusion of hateful rhetoric and misinformation about X, which Musk bought for $44 billion in October 2022, the company’s value has decreased by an astounding 71.5%, according to figures recently revealed by Axios.
Government to Hold Cobra Meeting
However, Musk’s financial woes pale in comparison to the bubbling over of racist violence taking place on the streets of the UK. The government has announced that it will hold a Cobra meeting in response to the ongoing race riots.
Social Media’s Damaging Impact
The current unrest in the UK has underlined the profound and damaging impact social media, untethered from reality and open to abuse by bad actors, can have on public discourse. With riots still ongoing, the need for government intervention and regulation of the social media giants is becoming harder to ignore.
Will Labour Respond Effectively?
With figures like Musk and Robinson all too happy to throw fuel onto the fire of racist violence currently sweeping the country, it remains to be seen if the Labour government, facing its first real test since taking office, will be up to the task.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Frederic Legrand – COMEO.
Grant Gallacher is a seasoned writer with expertise in politics and impactful daily news. His work, deeply rooted in addressing issues that resonate with a wide audience, showcases an unwavering commitment to bringing forth the stories that matter. He is also known for satirical writing and stand up comedy.