Twitter hides Donald Trump’s tweet threatening potential protesters

Twitter has hidden a tweet from President Donald Trump for violating the company’s policies regarding threats of harm.

The tweet is still up as part of a Twitter policy specific to elected officials and world leaders, though it’s hidden and users must click to reveal it. People can no longer like or comment on the tweet. (REUTERS)

Twitter has hidden a tweet from President Donald Trump for violating the company's policies regarding threats of harm.

“There will never be an ‘Autonomous Zone' in Washington, D.C., as long as I'm your President,” Trump tweeted, referring to an area in Seattle occupied by protesters where police aren't operating. “If they try they will be met with serious force!”

That threat to use force against protesters was what violated the social-media company's rules, a spokesperson confirmed. The tweet is still up as part of a Twitter policy specific to elected officials and world leaders, though it's hidden and users must click to reveal it. People can no longer like or comment on the tweet.

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for Trump's re-election campaign, suggested in a tweet Tuesday that Twitter was biased for hiding the president's post. “Twitter has flagged this tweet because the President said the law would be enforced if protesters tried to occupy a sector of DC like they have in Seattle,” Murtaugh wrote, using emojis to add that Twitter supports “lawless occupations.”

After years of inaction against the U.S. president's tweets, which are often controversial, Twitter has started to take more aggressive action in recent weeks. In late May, the company flagged two Trump posts for sharing misleading information about mail-in ballots, part of a new policy preventing false or confusing information related to elections.

Shortly after that, Twitter highlighted another tweet for violating rules against glorifying violence when Trump tweeted that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” a reference to protests against police brutality and racism in Minneapolis.

The same posts were also shared to Facebook Inc.'s social network, but Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg decided they didn't violate the company's rules. Similarly, Trump's post about the autonomous zone is also on Facebook.