Tech titan Elon Musk, British premier in heated exchange over far right protests

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Chief of social media platform X, Elon Musk, responded sharply to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as tensions between the tech mogul and the UK government continue to escalate.

The clash follows Musk's controversial assertion that "civil war is inevitable" in the UK after a week of far-right riots that have unsettled the nation.

Starmer rebuked Musk's remarks through his official spokesman, stating: "There’s no justification for comments like that, and what we’ve seen in this country is organized illegal thuggery which has no place on our streets or online.

"We’re talking about a minority of thugs that do not speak for Britain, and in response to it we’ve seen some of the best of our communities coming out to clean up the mess and disruption. You can tell from that the prime minister doesn’t share those sentiments."

The dispute intensified when Musk responded to a video posted by Starmer on X (formerly Twitter), in which the prime minister declared the government’s zero-tolerance stance on attacks targeting mosques and Muslim communities. Musk queried: "Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on all communities?"

This exchange followed after Starmer chaired a government emergency Cobra committee meeting addressing the riots.

In a post-meeting statement, Starmer announced the establishment of a "standing army of duty officers" poised to respond swiftly to any further disturbances.

He also emphasized that individuals arrested for participating in the violence would be promptly identified and face severe legal consequences.

In a pointed critique of social media platforms, Starmer stressed the importance of regulating online spaces to prevent the spread of misinformation and right-wing extremist content.

“The criminal law applies online as well as offline and I am assured that is the process that is being followed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Heidi Alexander said that Elon Musk’s post on his social media platform that “civil war is inevitable” as rioting in the UK continues is "deeply irresponsible."

She told Times Radio: "If you have got a platform, a large social media platform, then you have also got a responsibility."