ELON Musk and Humza Yousaf have clashed once again as an escalating war of words between the pair continues.
The latest exchange happened on Sunday morning, after reports said that Yousaf’s legal team had issued a warning to Elon Musk after the alt-right owner of Twitter/X called the former first minister “super, super racist”.
Earlier this week, Yousaf used an appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe to brand Musk one of the most dangerous men on the planet.
“He is not accountable to anybody. He has vast wealth at his fingertips, and he uses it for some of the most wicked evil I’ve seen,” Yousaf said.
The former SNP leader accused Musk of having “amplified” white supremacists and far-right neo-Nazi conspiracy theories, highlighting how he had controversially claimed that “civil war is inevitable” as he appeared to post in support of far-right rioters.
Responding on Twitter/X the following day, Musk claimed the former SNP leader is “super, super racist”. “Scotland gave him everything and yet he loathes white people,” Musk added.
In the wake of the clash, the Sunday Mail reported that the former first minister is “considering all options”, including legal action against the billionaire.
His lawyer Aamer Anwar told that paper: “Anybody who goes on social media, even if they own the platform and thinks that free speech is absolute whether in the UK or USA, needs to think again. Free speech carries responsibility and if you break the law there are consequences, as we have seen in recent days.
“Elon Musk has effectively painted a target on Humza Yousaf’s back with his completely unacceptable, untrue and inflammatory comments.”
Anwar went on: “If others choose to incite racial hatred against Humza or others, they should expect multiple years in prison. Social media is not a law-free zone and where actions are criminal and harmful you can expect the full force of the law.”
Sharing the story about the legal warning, Yousaf wrote on social media: “Elon Musk is a dangerous race baiter who must be held to account for his actions.
“I can't think what it is that upsets him so much about a brown, Muslim, progressive politician? [thinking emoji] But his billions won't stop me calling out his support for the far-right.”
Elon Musk is a dangerous race baiter who must be held to account for his actions. I can't think what it is that upsets him so much about a Brown, Muslim, progressive politician? 🤔 But his billions won't stop me calling out his support for the far-right.https://t.co/d2i2PIpVMd
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) August 11, 2024
One user responded to Yousaf saying: “You're a dangerous race baiter who must be held to account for your actions.”
Musk in turn responded to this post writing only: “Exactly.”
Musk’s claims that Yousaf is a racist have focused on a speech he gave to the Scottish Parliament in June 2020, while justice minister.
A shortened version of the speech, previously shared by Musk, has often been used by alt- and far-right figures to claim it shows the former SNP leader arguing that Scotland has too many white people.
However, the independent Ferret fact-checking service found such claims to be “false”, concluding the clipped video showed “part of a wider statement he made in the Scottish Parliament in 2020 about structural racism and inequality in Scotland”.
The clash comes after First Minister John Swinney told social media giants that “immediate action” must be taken to crack down on disinformation and racism following concerns it has exacerbated tensions in the UK, fuelling riots in England and Northern Ireland.
In a letter to Twitter/X, TikTok, and Meta – which owns Facebook and Instagram – Swinney said police chiefs in Scotland have raised concern at the length of time it takes for technology companies to remove “problematic” posts.
Digital Ofcom watchdogs have also written to social media bosses to remind them of their obligation to remove dangerous communication.
