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Twitter permanently bans David Duke

The Anti-Defamation League has labeled Duke as “perhaps America’s most well-known racist and anti-Semite.”

American neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist, Holocaust-denier and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke outside the House of Parliament in London, 1978. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
American neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist, Holocaust-denier and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke outside the House of Parliament in London, 1978. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Twitter announced on Friday that it has permanently banned white supremacist and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke for “repeated violations of the Twitter Rules on hateful conduct.”

“This enforcement action is in line with our recently-updated guidance on harmful links,” said a Twitter spokesperson.

Prior to being banned, Duke’s account had more than 53,000 followers.

The Anti-Defamation League has labeled Duke as “perhaps America’s most well-known racist and anti-Semite.”

Twitter has come under fire in recent days after a representative of the company told the Israeli Knesset that it is censoring U.S. President Donald Trump, but not Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction.

“I think they’re much more susceptible to being targeted if a public official wants to target them, if a community wants to target them,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer told JNS.
The reversal “sends an unfortunate signal at a time of rising antisemitism and sustained efforts to isolate Israel economically,” Evan R. Bernstein, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS.
Israel’s foreign minister called it a historic day for ties between the two countries and an important day for the capital.
“People need to be aware, and institutions need to repair,” Miri Bar-Halpern told JNS. “Clinicians are engaging in activism. It’s not about therapy anymore.”