Billionaire accused of attacking UK justice system
A raft of leading lawyers have quit social media platform X in protest against the behaviour of its billionaire owner Elon Musk.
The outspoken tech boss, who has nearly 150 million followers on the platform, has been accused of “fanning the flames” of unrest with a series of posts on his account about the UK riots.
This includes a post where he described the prison sentences given to some rioters as “messed up,” suggesting that the UK has taken a harder line on far-right rioters, and another where he shared two stitched photographs — one pornographic — with the caption: “Found this pic of the UK justice system.”
Musk’s posts have led to several high-profile lawyers quitting the platform in protest.
In a post earlier this week, a barrister who goes by the name ‘Crime Girl’ and is followed by nearly 70,000 people announced that she would no longer be an “active participant” of X.
“Elon Musk fanned the flames that cause friends and colleagues in immigration to fear for their lives,” she wrote. “They have been unable to go into their offices. Building were set alight with refugee families inside. This is abhorrent in a free and peaceful democracy.”
Steven Peers, a professor of EU law and human rights law at Royal Holloway, also announced he was “done” and wouldn’t return “as long as the owner is a far-right freak.” Peers has over 150,000 followers on the platform.
https://t.co/XlFxJ76wcY pic.twitter.com/co8xBeBbje
— Steve Peers (@StevePeers) August 10, 2024
Elsewhere, Outer Temple employment barrister and LBC radio presenter Daniel Barnett told his 20,000 followers that he was leaving X “at least for now and probably forever”.
I am leaving twitter and moving to another platform, at least for now and probably forever. I no longer enjoy being here.
My new details are in my user name.
It’s been a fabulous decade or so, but nothing lasts forever.
Thank you, everyone, for the friendship.
— Daniel Barnett (daniel-barnett on Bsky) (@daniel_barnett) August 14, 2024
Fellow barrister Gordon Exall also announced his departure. “This will be the last post on this account for the foreseeable future,” the Kings Chambers tenant wrote earlier this week. “I have joined the ‘legal exodus’ to Bsky @civlittweet.bsky.social”.
Meanwhile, One Pump Court one of the first barristers’ chambers to leave the platform, stating that the recent changes on X under Musk’s leadership “no longer resonate” with its “core principles”.
Update: pic.twitter.com/tNEuDWrkXZ
— One Pump Court (@OnePumpCourt) August 14, 2024
Last week, Legal Cheek reported that several law firms, mostly specialising in immigration law, had been placed on high alert after being named in an online list as potential targets for protestors and rioters.
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