Twitter has permanently suspended the account of David Duke, a former leader of the white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan and supporter of President Donald Trump, the social media company announced Friday.
Duke’s account was suspended for repeatedly violating Twitter’s policy on hateful content and harmful links, the micro-blogging site said.
Under Twitter’s hateful conduct policy, any threats of attacks directed at people on the basis of their religion, race or ethnicity is prohibited on its website.
The move comes as Twitter tries to curb the spread of hateful content on its website and control misinformation, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The KKK is the oldest white supremacist group in the United States and its roots trace back to the Reconstruction period in the South that followed the Civil War. In addition to anti-Black views, the KKK has expressed anti-semitic, anti-immigrant and anti-gay views.
