By Frankie Elliott For Mailonline and Elizabeth Haigh
Far-right thugs in Nottingham have mistakenly targeted a ‘vulnerable’ pensioner’s home for a riot after confusing it for an immigration business, police have cautioned.
Protestors are gearing up for an event tomorrow, following social media encouragement to ‘mask up’ for the occasion.
This planned protest comes on the heels of nationwide rioting fueled by misinformation on social media following the tragic deaths of three young girls in Southport last week.
However, police have clarified that the location has no association with the business advertised online and is actually the residence of an elderly individual.
The force issued a statement after a social media user posted on X claiming that ‘far-right fascist groups’ intended to target her ‘Nana’s address’ in Nottingham due to her father’s freelance immigration advisor business being registered there.
Nottinghamshire Police confirmed awareness of a potential protest being organized in the city and emphasized that the location has no ties to any immigration business. It is, in fact, the home of an elderly person with vulnerabilities.
As Cabinet ministers attribute social media for spreading hate and fake news, resulting in violent riots by the far-right, concerns are raised about the impact of misinformation online.
False claims circulating on social media platforms have led to confrontations between far-right activists and anti-racist protesters, causing chaos and injuries to police officers.
Efforts are being made to hold tech giants accountable for allowing harmful content to proliferate online, with calls for stricter regulations and penalties for failing to protect users from illegal content.
The Online Safety Act, passed by the previous government, aims to ensure that tech companies take responsibility for preventing the spread of hateful misinformation and incitement online.
Despite ongoing consultations and preparations, there is a pressing need for immediate action to curb the dissemination of harmful content on social media platforms.