Facebook is taking down nearly 200 different accounts linked to white supremacy groups. These groups are allegedly inviting members to bring their weapons to the protests against police brutality, Mashable and AP reported.
The protests are growing, not just in the United States but in various parts of the world. New York Times reported that the majority of the Minneapolis City Council has already disbanded the police department. In New York, the mayor also planned to cut funding to the police and increase spending on social services.
There are also protests now in London, United Kingdom, and Berlin, Germany.
Counter-terrorism and dangerous organizations policy director Brian Fishman said, "We saw that these groups were planning to rally supporters and members to physically go to the protests and in some cases were preparing to go with weapons."
Around 190 Facebook accounts are taken down.
Facebook and Instagram accounts
Last Friday, June, the officials from the world's biggest social networking website confirmed that it had removed these accounts, along with other Instagram accounts linked to infamous hate groups. These groups were named the American Guard and the Proud Boys.
The report said these officials are monitoring the accounts prior to the action since they began posting plots on initiating participants to join the weaponry protests. The protests happened after 46-year-old African-American George Floyd was killed by Minnesota police last month.
The social media website did not expound on the account users but reiterated their wrong calls during the protests. Both the specified groups have been banned from Facebook, mainly because of violating rules and spreading hate speeches. Even other groups associated with these are going to be removed.
Earlier this week, Facebook already announced this move against white supremacists with fake accounts on Twitter, claiming to be members of the far-left 'Antifa' movement. The authorities are saying these people are manipulating public opinion and speech in Iraq. More people are staying online after the curfews were raised in light of COVID-19.
In Tunisia, Facebook accounts that incite prohibited changes and influences in the elections are also being taken down. Many of these accounts are impersonating public figures, and the number is at almost four million. More than 170,000 people are following these accounts.
Protests in Europe
The protests have already reached European shores. As of press time, tens of thousands of protesters are now on the streets in Berlin, Germany, and London, Great Britain, to support the Black Lives Matter campaign. In Paris, meanwhile, three rallies were banned, DW reported.
European police estimated that around 15,000 people at the protests were held in accordance with the demonstrations in various cities in the United States in light of the Floyd killing.
Social distancing, the report added, wasn't being followed out of the many gatherers. Police in Berlin has already arrested a few of the demonstrators throwing stones and bottles at the officers. One of the officers here was injured, while a bottle hit a photographer in the head.
