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[Global Network Report] According to the British Guardian on the 5th, last week, the murder of three girls in Southport, England, shocked the UK and triggered continuous violent riots. American entrepreneur Musk commented on the incident on the social media X on the 4th, saying that "civil war is inevitable" in the UK. In response, the British Prime Minister's spokesman criticized that "such remarks are nonsense."

On August 4, local time, British police clashed with protesters. Photo from British media

As for the cause of the riots in the UK, according to Reuters, after three girls were killed by a murderer with a knife in Southport, false information spread rapidly on social media, claiming that the suspect was a radical Muslim immigrant. The report said that far-right agitators with a large number of fans online further amplified these false information, many of whom incited people on social media to target Muslims and immigrants.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on the 4th that the riots caused by the above incidents have been going on for many days, and the situation became more tense over the past two days of last weekend. On the 3rd and 4th, protests broke out in more than 30 cities and towns in the UK. Demonstrations in many places turned into riots. In some places, thugs threw Molotov cocktails, looted stores, and even attacked and burned police stations.

In this context, Musk participated in a discussion about the British riots on the social media X on the 4th. Some netizens posted that the riots were the result of "immigration and open borders", and Musk commented that "civil war is inevitable" in the UK.

According to the Guardian, in response to Musk's remarks, a spokesman for the British Prime Minister said, "Such remarks are nonsense. We see that this country is organized, and there is no place for mob violence, whether on the streets or on the Internet. We are talking about a small number of mobs who do not represent Britain."

The Guardian reported that Starmer also warned that the police would track down those who organized incitement on the Internet. He said, "If you are inciting violence, whether online or offline, the police will arrest, charge and prosecute them just like those who directly participate in street (riots) activities. Anyone found to have committed a criminal offense on the Internet is expected to receive the same result."

On the other hand, The Guardian mentioned that on the 5th local time, Musk once again criticized British Prime Minister Starmer. Regarding Starmer's statement to protect Muslim communities and mosques, Musk asked, "Shouldn't you be worried that all communities will be attacked?"

According to Reuters, the British government said on the 5th that officials are investigating the role of foreign forces in amplifying false information and fueling violent protests on the Internet, and warned social media companies that they must do more to prevent such behavior. The report quoted think tank expert Jacob David as saying that it is not just those who are trying to cause trouble who are spreading false information, but social media platforms themselves are also spreading false information because their business model algorithms are designed to amplify certain narratives on the Internet.