PM to urge social media firms to take tougher action over racism
Boris Johnson will urge social media firms to take tougher action over racism after the abuse of England football players, which he described as being "from the dark spaces of the internet".
The Prime Minister was preparing to hold talks about online abuse with companies including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in No 10, in the wake of the attacks after the team's loss in the Euro 2020 final.
It came as hundreds of peopletook the knee beside the repaired mural of England footballer Marcus Rashford in a show of support for the striker.
Around 200 people including some with signs reading "Black Lives Matter" made the symbolic gesture beside the recently vandalised artwork in south Manchester.
The mural was defaced within hours of England's loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday, in what police are treating as a racist incident.
Downing Street said Mr Johnson will "reiterate the urgent need for action" in the meeting but also had to issue a defence of Mr Johnson and Priti Patel over their earlier responses.
England footballer Tyrone Mings accused the Home Secretary of having managed to "stoke the fire" in the tournament by criticising the team for taking the knee against racism as "gesture politics".
No 10 said Mr Johnson opened a meeting of his Cabinet yesterday by condemning the racist attacks.
"He said the abuse was
utterly disgraceful and had emerged from the dark spaces of the internet," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
"He said he would use today's meeting with social media firms to reiterate the urgent need for action ahead of tougher laws coming into force through the Online Harms Bill."
The spokesman added that social media companies should "do everything they can to identify these people",
including handing over details of those who posted racist content.
Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were all subjected to attacks on social media after they were unable to score in the penalty shootout at Wembley.
The comments of government figures have also been called into question, with Mings criticising the Home Secretary after she described racist abuse as "vile" on Twitter.
"You don't get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as 'Gesture Politics' & then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we're campaigning against, happens," the defender responded.
Last month, Ms Patel declined to condemn fans who booed players as they took the knee in protest against racial injustice at the beginning of matches, calling the move by
players “gesture politics” on GB News.
Ms Patel declined to comment on Mings' tweet but Conservative former defence minister Johnny Mercer said the footballer was "completely right". Former Tory Party chairwoman Baroness Warsi also criticised Ms Patel, suggesting the Home Secretary and the government were guilty of "dog whistle" politics.