LONDON — The British government hit out at X owner Elon Musk Wednesday, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of disorder in Belfast.
Houses, cars and a bus were set on fire Tuesday evening in response to a knife attack in the Northern Irish capital. A 30-year-old Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder over the knife attack and will appear in court Wednesday.
Musk, a longstanding critic of the Labour government, said on his X platform ahead of the disorder: “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!” He had shared a post from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, listing dozens of locations where people could protest.
Labour Party Chair Anna Turley tore into Musk’s posts Wednesday, saying the tech boss doesn’t have live with the consequences far away from Northern Ireland.
“It’s appalling. Anyone that is seeking to drive and exploit a situation like this to drive their own political agenda is grievously wrong and doing damage,” she told LBC Wednesday. “We’ve seen children, families having to flee their homes on the streets of Belfast last night.”
She added: “We do not want to see this kind of disruption, damage, thuggery, violence on our streets, and anyone that is seeking to whip that up should be condemned.”
Turley also told Times Radio Musk “has a responsibility … to call for calm and not stoke grievance.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week accused the billionaire of trying to “whip up division” following the murder of 18-year-old teenager Henry Nowak. Nowak, the victim of a stabbing attack, was placed under arrest as he lay dying, after being falsely accused of a racist assault.