By: V4 Agency
The social media platform at first temporarily and then permanently suspended the account of the former politician of the largest right-wing party on grounds that he had violated terms of use. A renowned essayist spoke out for him, pointing out that the politician had never used hate speech while many Islamists promote racist violence on the platform without facing sanctions. The politician is taking legal action.
Former French National Rally politician Jean Messiha runs into conflict with Twitter again after the social media platform first suspended the politician’s account temporarily and then permanently. Twitter justified its decision on grounds that Messiha had violated its terms of use.
This was not the first instance that the platform had suspended the politician’s account. On 27 June, following a post considered to be Islamophobic, Twitter blocked Messiha’s account and deleted the post in question. The message the politician received from Twitter said he could still browse Twitter but could not “tweet” or “like” for seven days after which the ban would be lifted and the account would be reactivated. That was the case, but the politician could not use Twitter for very long, as the platform temporarily suspended Messiha’s account for violating its rules again on 31 July and then removed his account permanently on 3 August without the option of restoring it. After the move, Jean Messiha announced that he would bring the case to court, arguing that it is the competence of the judiciary to make such decisions, the French weekly Valeurs actuelles reported.
One of France’s best-known essayists, Gilles-William Goldnadel, took to Twitter to speak out for Jean Messiha, writing that it was an honour for him to be able to defend Messiha following his removal from Twitter. Goldnadel noted that Messiha had never used hate speech while many Islamists and leftists promote racist violence on the platform without facing any sanctions. “Beyond the Messiha case, our freedom is being undermined,” the essayist wrote.
Many agree with Goldnadel. Le Conservateur, a group dedicated to protecting France’s history, values and civilisation, wrote on Twitter: “Jean Messiha is a politician, a patriot and a fierce opponent of Emmanuel Macron and his policy aiming to dismantle France. Twitter has suspended his account. Any attack on the freedom of expression constitutes an attack on democracy.”
The right-wing think tank Institut Apollon, founded and headed by Jean Messiha, also spoke out for the politician, pointing out that Twitter suspended the account of the institute’s president in the wake of abusive reports from his opponents who were disturbed by his words.
The institute has appealed to his followers to help restore the politician’s Twitter account and for this purpose, they have created #RendezNousMessiha, meaning ‘give us Messiha back’.