Twitter blocks Trump’s tweet that threatened to shoot looters in Minnesota

May 29, 2020 03:20 pm | Updated 03:33 pm IST

Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to bring greater regulation to social media companies, Twitter continued its moderation of Mr Trump’s tweets.

The social media platform, on Friday, covered one of the President’s tweets with a notice for violating its rules about “glorifying violence.” The tweet could however be viewed on clicking the notice; Twitter had felt it was in the public’s interest that the tweet be accessible, as per the notice.

“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!” Mr Trump’s tweet said, about riots had broken out in Minneapolis, over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African American by a white police officer.

Twitter separately tweeted a link to its policy on glorification of violence. “ This Tweet violates ov ur policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today,” the company said.

Twitter had fact checked two of Mr. Trump’s tweets on Wednesday.

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