‘The squad’ responds to Twitter warning for posts threatening bodily harm

Progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) — commonly known as “the squad” — responded to a policy from Twitter Friday reminding users that wishes or hopes of death and bodily harm will be removed.

The warning from the social media platform came after users began posting about President Trump’s death following his positive coronavirus test early Friday morning. 

“Tweets that wish or hope for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against *anyone* are not allowed and will need to be removed,” Twitter said in a post on its site. 

tweets that wish or hope for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against *anyone* are not allowed and will need to be removed. this does not automatically mean suspension. https://t.co/lQ8wWGL2y0 https://t.co/P2vGfUeUQf

— Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) October 2, 2020

The congresswomen expressed frustration that the platform had not acted sooner to address such posts, saying that they have experienced threats of death and bodily harm in the past. 

Omar has been vocal about her need for security in previous comments, taking to Twitter in August 2019 to share an anonymous death threat she received.

Tlaib tweeted in response to the update, “Seriously though, this is messed up. The death threats towards us should have been taking more seriously by [Twitter].”

Omar tweeted an “excuse me?” GIF in response to the update, and Pressley retweeted the communications update from Twitter saying, “please DM me.” 

Please DM me. https://t.co/N2Bjt6VVvP

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) October 2, 2020

 “So… you mean to tell us you could‘ve done this the whole time?” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. 

So… you mean to tell us you could‘ve done this the whole time? https://t.co/7OmgEYjWnI

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 2, 2020

The policy highlighted by Twitter Friday is not new. Twitter said posts that wish for Trump’s death fall under its abusive behavior policy, which says users “may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so.”

A Twitter spokesperson told CNN, “it is our top priority to improve the health of the public conversation, and that includes ensuring the safety of people who use our service. Abuse and harassment have no place on Twitter.”

Twitter Communications said violations of the rule only result in a removed post, though repeated offenses could result in a permanent suspension.