Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday responded to a resurfaced viral post on social media platform X, stating that, “You have finger guns, we have real guns.” The comment referenced a warning issued last year by London’s Police chief about taking action against American citizens for their online remarks on UK riots.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley had issued a stern warning through Sky News, stating: “We will throw the full force of the law at people. And whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online, we will come after you.”
The comments were originally made last year in August, following a wave of riots across the United Kingdom.
The unrest was fueled by false online rumors claiming that an asylum seeker was behind a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event, which left three girls dead and several others injured.
The accused, identified as an 18-year-old British national with Rwandan heritage, was arrested for the killings. The incident led to aggressive demonstrations, reflecting underlying tensions regarding immigration levels in Britain.
Social media platforms witnessed widespread circulation of violent clashes between anti-immigration protesters and their opponents. The authorities cautioned that disseminating such material could result in legal repercussions, the New York Post reported.
When a Sky News reporter pressed Commissioner Rowley for clarification on his warning, pointing out that high-profile figures were “whipping up hatred,” specifically mentioning “the likes of Elon Musk.”
The reporter also questioned how authorities planned to address individuals who incite such behavior from afar. To which Commissioner Rowley responded firmly, stating: “Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law.”
He further emphasised: “All of those offenses are in play if people are provoking hatred and violence on the streets, and we will come after those individuals just as we will physically confront on the streets the thugs and the yobs who are causing the problems for communities.”
The situation gained additional attention when Elon Musk criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s handling of the unrest, suggesting Britain was approaching “civil war.”
