Twitter has slapped a “public interest notice” on a tweet from President Donald Trump, saying it violated its rules regarding the glorifying of violence.
“We’ve taken action in the interest of preventing others from being inspired to commit violent acts, but have kept the Tweet on Twitter because it is important that the public still be able to see the Tweet given its relevance to ongoing matters of public importance,” the company said Friday morning.
Trump’s tweet is now hidden behind a notice claiming it breached Twitter’s policies on “glorifying violence.” It can still be viewed and retweeted with a comment, but users cannot like, reply to or retweet it.
The post in question targets the protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd. In some specific areas the protests have been overtaken by rioting and looting.
On the third night of the protests late Thursday, the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct, the base of the four officers fired following Floyd’s death in their custody, was set on fire. Multiple blazes have been seen on nearby blocks.
In two tweets, Trump threatened to bring in the National Guard to control the situation and used the phrase, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis,” he said on Twitter, blaming Mayor Jacob Frey for social unrest in the city.
″….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” Trump tweeted. “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!”
Floyd died Monday after an officer knelt on the man’s neck during an arrest. He was seen on video telling officers “I can’t breathe.”
Twitter says it took issue with the “historical context” of the last line of the tweet it flagged Friday. Trump appeared to quote former Miami Police Chief Walter Headley, who in December 1967 used the phrase, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
Headley was head of police during racially-charged fights and was known for utilizing “stop and search” arrangements.
The White House’s legitimate Twitter account later retweeted Trump’s first post with the substance that was covered up by the microblogging webpage for disregarding its approaches. It’s hazy whether Twitter means to shroud this tweet with a substance notice also.
Trump has been increasing the weight on Twitter after the stage certainty checked deluding claims made by the president on mail-in casting a ballot. He marked an official request via web-based networking media “restriction” Thursday, focusing on organizations allowed obligation insurance through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
The request could enable offer controllers to seek after activity against stages like Twitter and Facebook, considering them liable for content posted by their clients.
Following the activity taken by Twitter, Trump emphasized his desire to have Section 230 disavowed. He said the stage was explicitly focusing on traditionalists, however, Twitter and other web-based social networking stages have since quite a while ago prevented claims from securing political inclination.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was informed of the decision to label Trump’s tweet in advance, Dorsey has stated before that he is the one who is “ultimately accountable for our actions as a company.”
