Twitter suspended accounts belonging to the far-right group Britain First, shortly after updating its policy on hate speech and “abusive” content.
The group’s main account as well as those of leader Paul Golding and deputy leader Jayda Fransen were first blocked by Twitter on Monday, according to The Telegraph. Golding and Fransen confirmed the suspensions on their own Facebook pages, but did not comment further.
The social media company also announced Monday it would begin enforcing updates to its rules on “hateful conduct and abusive behavior.”
British Minister of State for Digital Matthew Hancock tweeted that the account suspensions were a “good step forward” for Twitter.
“Social media companies have more to do to prevent harm on their sites,” he added.
Both Fransen and Golding are being investigated over speeches made at a Belfast rally in August. Fransen faces charges of “using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behavior.”
Britain First attracted international attention last month after U.S. President Donald Trump retweeted videos originally posted by Fransen which sought to depict Muslims as violent and dangerous.
The president’s retweets sparked a row with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who condemned his actions as “wrong” and called Britain First a “hateful organization.”
Trump brushed off May’s criticism, telling her on Twitter “don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!”
The White House later said Trump didn’t know that the videos were from Britain First when he shared them.
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Politico
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