Katie Hopkins is BANNED from Twitter for breaking rules on hate speech
Row breaks out over Twitter’s decision to ban Katie Hopkins for ‘hateful conduct’ as critics accuse social media giant of curbing free speech while her opponents celebrate
- Right-wing commentator suspended for breaking platform’s rule on hate speech
- She had sparked outrage with her comments on race, religion and immigration
- Hopkins then became the subject of petition urging Twitter to have her removed
- But some rallied behind the ex-Apprentice star for having ‘free speech curbed’
By Amie Gordon and James Gant For Mailonline
Published: 12:55 EDT, 19 June 2020 | Updated: 04:34 EDT, 20 June 2020
A row has broken out over Twitter’s decision to ban Katie Hopkins for ‘hateful conduct’ as critics accused the social media giant of curbing free speech.
The former Apprentice star turned right-wing commentator, who had more than one million followers, was removed for a string of offensive tweets.
She sparked outrage on numerous occasions with comments on race, religion and immigration – which led to a petition urging Twitter to silence her.
A Twitter spokesman confirmed last night Hopkins’s account had been shut down for breaking the site’s rules around hateful content.
Some celebrated the move but others questioned the site’s right to curb free speech, with one user setting up a petition to bring her back.
It came after the social media giant slapped a warning on US President Donald Trump’s tweets.
Twitter has toughened its stance against misleading content posted by Mr Trump – but has not suspended his account despite huge criticism of his tweets.
The former Apprentice star turned right-wing commentator had more than one million followers on the platform
In a statement, a Twitter spokesman said Hopkins’ account had been shut down, pictured, for breaking the site’s rules around hateful content
Hopkins, 45, had been complaining about her verified profile on the social media site in the hours before she was given the boot.
She had also been laying into the Black Lives Matter movement on her page in recent days.
In a tweet on Wednesday, she wrote: ‘Today is #whiteoutwednesday. I will shortly be posting a picture of my arse. Thank you.’
She also attacked footballer Marcus Rashford, who this week got the government to change its stance on free school meals for children over the summer.
She put: ‘Dear Marcus Rashford, do you think women should think about how they are going to feed a child before they decide to have it?
‘I do not want to pay to feed other people’s kids. You are welcome to. Thank you, Katie Hopkins.’
The former journalist’s Instagram page still referred to her as: ‘The home of the Twitter legend formerly known as @KTHopkins.’
Twitter said in a statement: ‘Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us – abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service and we will continue to take action when our Rules are broken.
‘In this case, the account has been permanently suspended for violations of our Hateful Conduct policy.’
According to Twitter’s website, that policy prohibits promoting violence against or directly attacking or threatening people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, age, disability or serious disease.
Hopkins appeared to have migrated to the alternative Parler, which brands itself as a ‘free speech social network’.
Hopkins appeared to have migrated to the alternative Parler, which brands itself as a ‘free speech social network’
The account, which had a Twitter-style bird with its beak tied as its wallpaper, was set up last night but has already amassed a large following and been posted on a number of times
The account, which had a Twitter-style bird with its beak tied as its wallpaper, was set up last night but has already amassed a large following and been written on a number of times.
One post read: ‘I have posted a Cashapp account ($KatieHopkinsFights) specifically to assist with action against Twitter and other platforms that are denying us our freedom of speech.
‘This will fund a movement that will not only present us with the tools to go against these Goliaths, but will do everything it can to bring all kinds of people to this app.
‘I’m not looking to get my account back. Twitter as a platform is on its last leg and I do not want to associate myself with that platform any longer. This is a fight of principles.
‘This is the last time I’ll discuss this ‘Twitter drama’. Tomorrow will be a defining moment…we will keep our eyes on Tulsa and support a leader who has finally grown the balls to stand up to evil.
‘I’ll do what I can to continue advocating for this platform. Parler is doing what other social media companies aren’t doing. It is time we take a stand and fight…’
Some users were infuriated Hopkins – a former MailOnline columnist – was kicked off Twitter and the petition to reinstate her page garnered more than 250 signatures.
Some Twitter users were infuriated by the news and the petition to reinstate her page has garnered more than 250 signatures (pictured)
The Change.org appeal says: ‘Everyone is allowed free speech, you may not like what others have to say or you may love it but Katie Hopkins was the voice for many other who supported what she has to say that don’t have the platform to be heard.
‘Who is to say Katie is wrong, all she does is just tells the truth on hard hitting facts and most of the time, not always, is right.
‘If you don’t like it then block her on your own social media and not take away her right for free speech and disallow her 1.1 MILLION follows their right to support her voice. Bring back Katie and grow up!’
Others agreed, with one account writing: ‘Katie Hopkins banned from twitter because we decide what content you can see or can’t see as we control the narrative, not you.’
Another put: ‘So Katie Hopkins has been banned from Twitter. Free speech seems to be a thing of the past now. You can only spread racist bile now if you are on the far left.’
One man posted: ‘Something is missing. Oh yeah, it’s Katie Hopkins and freedom of speech. Up hours @Twitter.’
And another said: ‘Why has Katie Hopkins been banned from Twitter ?.Probably because she tells it like it is.’
Some rallied to Hopkins’ side and called out Twitter for what they saw as impeding her free speech
Yet others welcomed the move, with one writing: ‘Katie Hopkins getting permanently suspended from Twitter is the best thing to come out of 2020.’
Another posted: ‘STOP TALKING ABOUT KATIE HOPKINS FFS. She is gone. Stop raising the dead.’
One man put: ‘Katie Hopkins is off twitter… gonna go celebrate.’
A woman wrote: ‘How much nicer does Twitter feel knowing katie Hopkins isn’t here anymore.’
One man said: ‘Katie Hopkins was the architect of her own demise. Didn’t know where the lines of decency were drawn and, despite losing her newspaper column and radio show, still didn’t spot the trend and arrogantly pushed on with her hateful agenda. Good riddance.’
And another added: ‘Katie Hopkins has been banned from twitter! 2020 has had good things too people.’
Others celebrated Hopkins’ Twitter account being suspended yesterday following controversial tweets
Twitter yesterday added a warning label on to a video tweet shared by Mr Trump’s account, informing users it contained manipulated media.
The clip is edited to look like it appeared on a CNN broadcast, showing a black toddler running away from a white child, with a fake CNN breaking news caption reading: ‘Terrified todler (sic) runs from racist baby.’
It then claims to reveal ‘what actually happened’, showing the original version of events where the pair are playing – the way CNN had reported it – before accusing ‘fake news’ of being the root cause of problems in America.
Underneath the US president’s tweet, the social network added a ‘manipulated media’ label.
Clicking on the warning, users are told: ‘In September 2019, CNN reported on a viral video about a friendship between two toddlers.
‘On Thursday, the president shared a version of the video which many journalists confirmed was edited and doctored with a fake CNN chyron.’
Some questioned why President Trump’s account was still active while Hopkins’ had been removed
The social media site slapped a warning on President Donald Trump’s tweets, but made the decision not to remove his account
In May, Twitter placed fact-checking labels on two tweets from Mr Trump’s personal account which made claims about fraud in US postal voting, as well as hiding a post about protests in the city of Minneapolis after Mr Floyd’s death.
Mr Trump responded by signing an executive order to restrict legal protections allowing social media sites to remove content they deem inappropriate, a power he described as being akin to censorship.
CNN’s communications team replied to the president’s latest tweet, saying: ‘CNN did cover this story – exactly as it happened. Just as we reported your positions on race (and poll numbers).
‘We’ll continue working with facts rather than tweeting fake videos that exploit innocent children. We invite you to do the same. Be better.’
On Friday evening, Facebook also took down the video but only following a copyright complaint.
Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has come under fire by some staff for the network’s stance on the president’s social presence.
However, the tech giant did remove campaign adverts by Mr Trump and vice president Mike Pence that featured an upside-down red triangle – a Nazi symbol used to designate political prisoners in concentration camps.
