Facebook marks Kapil Mishra as ‘hate monger’

BJP leader Kapil Mishra's hate speech has set standards for violent content on Facebook.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckeberg’s refered to the threat issued by Kapil Mishra against anti-government protesters as an example of hate speech that incites violence.

1.Kapil Mishra's hate speech marked as 'violence inciting' by Facebook

The reference of Kapil's speech has revived the debate over the Delhi Police’s refusal to act against ruling party politicians for their role in the communal disturbances that took the lives of over 50 people this February.

2.Hate speech by BJP leaders incited violence but Delhi Police refused to act

Zuckerberg was speaking to Facebook employees on June 2 about what constitutes social media incitement. Though he did not directly name Mishra, the quote he cited made it clear that is who he was referring to:

3.Zuckerberg cited Kapil Mishra's quote to Facebook employees

“You know, if somebody is actually going to encourage violence, I think in general, you just — you just don’t want that content up. There have been examples of government officials around the world, we’ve taken them down. There have been cases in India, for example, where someone said, “Hey, if the police don’t take care of this, our supporters will get in there and clear the streets.” That is kind of encouraging supporters to go do that in a more direct way, and we took that down. So we have a precedent for that.”

4."If police don't take care of this, our supporters will clear the streets",Mishra had said

Zuckerberg’s interaction was held in the backdrop of Facebook being criticised for its failure to censure or take down the posts of US President Donald Trump in the wake of massive #BlackLivesMatter protests and the violence which rocked the country following the brutal killing of a 46-year-old African American man, George Floyd, in Minnesota on May 25.

5.Facebook is being criticised for its failure to censure Trump's posts

The online meeting discussed Trump’s Facebook posts, which included one in which he called for harsh measures against those indulging in arson and violence during the protests by saying, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”.

6."When the looting starts,the shooting starts",Trump had posted on FB

As for Mishra’s comment, Zuckerberg is learnt to have alluded to it to convey to his nearly 25,000 employees that Facebook does act in cases of clear incitement.

7.Kapil Mishra's speech is clear example of incitement:Zuckerberg

It was during Trump’s visit to India from February 24-25 that Mishra, while addressing his supporters in North East Delhi, had given a three-day “ultimatum” to the Delhi police to evict anti-CAA protesters who were blocking a road at the Jaffrabad Metro Station.

8.Kapil Mishra had given a 3-day ultimatum to the Delhi Police to evict anti-CAA protesters

He had also issued a statement on Twitter saying: “A three day ultimatum to the police — to clear the roads and after that please do not try to convince us, we would not even listen to you.”

9,Kapil had also issued the ultimatum on the Twitter

Mishra had also shared videos on social media in which he was heard saying:

“We will maintain peace until (US President) Donald Trump is in India. After that, we refuse to listen to even the police if the roads are not cleared…. we will be forced to hit the streets.”

10.Mishra shared provocative remarks through videos on social media

He also used Twitter to urge people to come together and “prevent another Shaheen Bagh” type of road-blockade protest from taking shape at Jaffrabad.

11. Kapil Mishra urged people to "prevent another Shaheen Bagh"

In March, Justice Muralidhar of the Delhi high court had directed the Delhi Police to take a decision on filing an FIR against Mishra for his remarks. But before the deadline set, he was transferred out and the bench which replaced him accepted solicitor general Tushar Mehta’s claim that conditions were “not conducive” for action to be taken and that an FIR would be filed “at an appropriate time”.

12.Justice Muralidhar who directed Delhi Police to file FIR against Mishra was transferred out

Since then, the police have arrested several individuals associated with the protest against the CAA, slapping terrorism charges on at least five of them, but Mishra has not yet been charged.

13.Police has arrested several individuals but Mishra has not been charged