Anyone whipping up violence online will face the full force of the law, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman warned after Elon Musk said “civil war is inevitable” following days of rioting in the UK.
Mr Musk, the billionaire owner of X, made the comments on the social media platform below a video of rioters setting off fireworks at riot police.
“There is no justification for comments like that,” Sir Keir’s official spokesman said.
“Anyone who is whipping up violence online will face the full force of the law.
“Online platforms have a responsibility.”
Sir Keir added he told ministers and police chiefs at an emergency COBRA meeting on Monday morning “the law applies online”.
The 2011 London riots prepared Starmer for stopping unrest but tackling deeper roots of protests will be much harder
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“So, if you’re inciting violence, it doesn’t matter whether it’s online or offline,” he said.
“And therefore I expect, just as in relation to those that are directly participating on the streets, for there to be arrests and charging and prosecution.
“Equally, anyone who has been found to have committed a criminal offence online can expect the same response.”
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The PM’s spokesman said the government is working with social media platforms to ensure disinformation is removed – but more could be done.
Social media companies have a responsibility to ensure disinformation is removed, and they will be held to account, he added.
More than 400 people have been arrested since riots started last Tuesday following the arrest of Axel Rudakubana, 17, who is charged with the murder of three young girls and the attempted murder of 10 others.
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Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine and Bebe King, six, all died in the knife attack in Southport, north of Liverpool last Monday.
Misinformation online said the person arrested was a Muslim refugee who arrived in the UK last year via a small boat.
Rudakubana was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents before moving to a village near Southport.
Read more:
Why did the riots begin?
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The rumours were fuelled by several far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate, who posted about them on social media.
Separately, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage questioned if the police who had said the attack was not “terror-related”, were being truthful.
Sir Keir said there is “an army” of specialist police officers on standby to tackle any further violent disorder.
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The PM also announced criminal justice will be “ramped up”, with courts opening for longer hours.
He has requested for those who are charged to be named at the earliest possible moment.
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.”
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