Twitter flags Trump tweet on protesters for including ‘threat of harm’

Twitter on Tuesday added an advisory to one of President Trump’s tweets that threatened protesters seeking to establish an “autonomous zone” in Washington, D.C., saying it violated the platform’s rules against abusive behavior.

“This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about abusive behavior. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible,” reads the advisory added to Trump’s tweet.

The president had tweeted Tuesday morning that any attempt to establish an “autonomous zone” in the nation’s capital “will be met with serious force.” Twitter added a notice roughly six hours later stating the tweet violated its policies.

“We’ve placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our policy against abusive behavior, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group,” the platform said.

“Per our policies, this Tweet will remain on the service given its relevance to ongoing public conversation,” Twitter added.

We’ve placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our policy against abusive behavior, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group.https://t.co/AcmW6O6d4t

— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) June 23, 2020

Users can no longer like or reply to Trump’s tweet, but they can retweet it with comment, according to the platform.

Trump’s threat against protesters came after tense demonstrations Monday night when protesters attempted to topple a statue of former President Jackson in Lafayette Square across the street from the White House. At one point, protesters spray-painted the letters “BHAZ” near the White House, an acronym for “Black House Autonomous Zone.”

“There will never be an ‘Autonomous Zone’ in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!” Trump tweeted.

Authorities had cleared the protesters from the area near the White House as of Tuesday afternoon.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany asserted that Twitter’s action was silencing Trump’s push for “law and order” across the country.

“Twitter labeled it ‘abusive behavior’ for the President of the United States to say that he will enforce the law,” she tweeted. “Twitter says it is ‘abusive’ to prevent rioters from forcibly seizing territory to set up a lawless zone in our capital.”

Tuesday’s action is the latest instance of Twitter adding warning labels to the president’s tweets as the platform takes a more aggressive approach.