Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who heads Tesla and SpaceX, yet again courted controversy when he reacted to a resurfaced video on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. In the video, the Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, had warned US citizens making online remarks about riots in the UK about legal consequences.
Musk’s comment, “You have finger guns, we have real guns,” went viral immediately and received wide attention. This comment is a reaction to Rowley’s stern comments that he made last year.
You have finger guns, we have real guns https://t.co/FphDVTLsDc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 6, 2025
Background On Sir Mark Rowley’s Warning
In August 2024, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley made waves when he issued a stern warning regarding online activity related to the riots in the UK. Rowley was quoted on Sky News as saying that the British law enforcement would take action against people who incited violence or hatred online from abroad.
Rowley said, “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 statement was part of the UK government’s response to a surge of unrest.
Social media rumors spread to trigger riots based on false rumors that a stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift party took place at an asylum seeker who had stabbed to death three little girls and many others were badly injured. He was a young British citizen, 18-year-old Rwandan descent. Arrested were violence and protests amid anti-immigration sentiments because people reacted to what they had claimed to be an outsider who caused such a tragedy.
The events brought to the fore some of the significant concerns about how social media can amplify unrest, with some high-profile individuals, like Elon Musk, voicing support for certain factions of the protests, which further stirred tensions.
Elon Musk’s Response: “We Have Real Guns”
Musk’s comment in response to Rowley’s warning appears to be a continuation of his ongoing feud with the UK’s political and law enforcement figures. Musking, being a blunt talker, was reacting to Rowley’s statement that people were inciting hatred and violence via the internet. There had been an observation made by Sky News that authorities needed to respond to keyboard warriors like Musk who were stirring up problems from afar. Rowley said, “Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law.”
Musk quipped, “You have finger guns, we have real guns,” which seemed to be a direct attack at the perceived lack of muscle behind threats made by the British authorities vis-a-vis the physical power, which he implied, that the United States possesses. The minute his comment came in, people on social media reacted with wave after wave of supporting and criticizing it. Musk’s tweet is in line with his broader history of controversial remarks, especially his criticism of various global government actions, including those of the UK government.
The UK Riots And Musk’s Criticism Of Keir Starmer
Deep-seated concerns over migration policies and rising tensions in British society have marked the so-called unrest and riots that filled the streets of the UK at the end of 2024. The fact that an asylum seeker participated in the mass stabbing had increased public anger, and protests and clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators and their opponents dominated the scene.
Despite warning from law enforcement officials not to share provocative material online, public figures like Musk are under scrutiny for their outspoken support to the far-right groups participating in the unrest.
This made headlines in British politics as a result of his criticisms against Prime Minister Keir Starmer on handling the unrest. Musk stated that Britain was “heading toward civil war,” something that UK officials did not find pleasing. Starmer’s spokesman quickly condemned the remarks, stating that the prime minister did not share Musk’s sentiments. “There’s no justification for comments like that,” the spokesperson said, adding that the violence in the UK was the result of “organised, violent thuggery” with no place in British society.
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