Twitter blocks Trump, threatens permanent ban over inciting violence

Microblogging site Twitter has locked US president Trump’s account for 12 hours and threatened to permanently ban him from the platform for flouting its civic integrity rules, ordering him to remove three rule-breaking tweets.

Twitter said that it had required the removal of at least three of Trump's tweets that were posted earlier regarding the situation in Washington.

"As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, DC, we have required the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy," Twitter said in a post.

"If the Tweets are not removed, the account will remain locked."

The decision comes after Trump tweeted a video that Twitter said posed a “risk of violence.”

Twitter also said that it will continue to evaluate the situation, including examining activity on the ground and statements made off Twitter.

For the first time, Twitter officially removed three of Trump's tweets, where he spoke on the violent protests at the US Capitol, while another deleted tweet had him saying Vice President Mike Pence lacked the "courage" to do what was necessary.

The removal comes after Facebook and YouTube removed Trump's video to supporters, and amid calls by the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP for Trump's social media accounts to be suspended outright, reported CNN.

In a tweet, Facebook's VP of integrity Guy Rosen called this 'an emergency situation', and said that the video contributes to the risk of ongoing violence.

"This is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump's video. We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence," tweeted Rosen.

In the one-minute video on Twitter, Trump said: "I know you are pained, I know you are hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. That was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We've to have law and order. We don't want anybody hurt."

"This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play in the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace," he added.

The tweet was immediately flagged by the microblogging site as the claim of election fraud was disputed. Twitter also restricted the post from being liked, retweeted or replied to, due to a risk of stoking violence.

This comes amid a violent and unprecedented situation in Washington where Trump supporters stormed in the Capitol building, seeking to overturn the Electoral vote count that certified President-elect Joe Biden's victory. The scuffle led to several people being injured, a lockdown of the Capitol building and evacuation of the Congressional buildings.

(With inputs from agencies)