UK police commissioner threatens to extradite and jail Americans for social media posts

London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has issued a warning that American citizens and others in the world could face legal consequences for social media posts that violate UK laws, leading to extradition to the country. 

"We will throw the full force of the law at people. And whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online, we will come after you,” Rowley stated.  

When he was asked by a reporter about people such as Elon Musk and "dealing with people who are whipping up this kind of behavior from behind the keyboard who may be in a different country" Rowley answered the reporter, affirming his position to pursue legal ramifications for others. 

“Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law," he stated. “You can be guilty of offenses of incitement, of stirring up racial hatred, there are numerous terrorist offenses regarding the publishing of material. All of those offenses are in play if people are provoking hatred and violence on the streets, and we will come after those individuals.” 

The UK has continued to crack down on monitoring social media for content that could be considered incitement or hatred. On Wednesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales revealed that a dedicated team of authorities is actively monitoring social media platforms for such content, warning that those who post or even repost offensive material could be charged with a crime. In one recent case, a 31-year-old man in the UK was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail after commenting on a Facebook post with emojis that depicted minorities alongside a gun, accompanied by the words "filthy b*stards." 

The UK has recently seen a surge in right-wing protests following a mass stabbing incident, with demonstrators expressing concerns about mass migration from Muslim-majority countries. In response, Muslim "patrol groups" have taken to the streets, sometimes armed, to counter the protests, leading to violent clashes between everyone involved.