The mayor of London received backlash after announcing an initiative to drive down knife crime by going after an unlikely culprit: Youtube videos.
Sadiq Khan was accused of ignoring the true origin behind the UK’s crime wave in a Monday tweet, in which he called on social media to “toughen guidelines & remove violent videos” in order to stem knife violence.
I’m deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime. Internet giants must toughen guidelines & remove violent videos https://t.co/PlnLGfHUbZ
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) August 7, 2017
“Internet giants have policies in place around violent content, but they do not go far enough,” Khan said, partially blaming Google and Youtube for hosting videos he claims incite violence and knifings.
“Google, YouTube and other platforms have a responsibility to the millions of young people using their sites every day, and it is vital that they toughen up their guidelines, remove breaches immediately and work with partners to help ensure such horrific videos do not reappear. Lives could depend on it.”
Commenters on Twitter were quick to point out the mayor was ignoring an important element driving the rise in knife attacks: radical Islam.
You #Crackpot blaming a video for #MuslimViolence? Now where have we heard that narrative before? #MayorOfLondon #london falling down& out
— TINA Hillstrom (@TINAHILLSTROM1) August 9, 2017
Once again @SadiqKhan treats the symptom not the cause. The usual awful performance from the man whose priorities are Muslims and illegals.
— Will Kay (@willkay2013) August 7, 2017
The man is a total joke and I found out tonight he launched the Internet hate crime team of the met police to silence criticism of Islam.
— The Eye (@TheEye02715156) August 8, 2017
Why are you concerned about the M.O. of your Muslim constituents' ideology? You know that's their weapon of choice? You defended them? POS
— Paul A. Gutierrez (@PGutierrez630) August 9, 2017
If Mayor Of Londonistan really believes knife crime is cos of YouTube, & not gangs, or imported culture/religion, then he'll never solve it.
— EUthanasiac (@ChrisJHudson) August 7, 2017
He not trying to solve it just blames Internet so gets more funding for his hate unit to prosecute anyone who tweets negatively of islam
— Alan (@alanesmart1) August 8, 2017
Easier than addressing real problem of migrant crime??
— tara davies (@1tara1) August 8, 2017
I'm deeply concerned that London has turned into a 3rd world toilet since you took over and all you do is blame "internet giants". RESIGN
— Paul 👌 (@PaulGAtletico) August 7, 2017
— Big Dog (@BigDog2367) August 9, 2017
The mayor’s tone-deaf initiative comes after numerous knife attacks in London, the UK and Europe as a whole, with the Islamic State terror group claiming responsibility for many.
In a June 12 truck attack which struck nearly 40 pedestrians on London Bridge, three men exited the vehicle and stabbed people announcing the attacks were carried out in the name of Islam.
Describing the attack on her 23-year-old son Daniel, Elisabeth O’Neill said, “He had just stepped outside the bar for a second and a man ran up to him and said ‘this is for my family, this is for Islam’ and stuck a knife in him.”
The attack followed an Islamic State propaganda campaign encouraging would-be jihadists to conduct gun, knife and truck attacks to “kill the civilians of the crusaders” during Ramadan.
“Last year 61 people were stabbed to death in London, while 29 people have been killed in 2017, up from 23 for the same period the year before,” reports Metro.co.uk.
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