NZ PM Jacinda Ardern receives death threats on social media
March 22, 2019
WELLINGTON: Police in New Zealand are investigating death threats sent to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on social media.
According to the NZ Herald, a Twitter post containing a photo of a gun and captioned "You are next" was sent to the prime minister.
Another post tagged Ardern and the New Zealand police said "next it's you".
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office said Twitter "seems to have algorithms for everything else and they owe the public a duty of care".
Twitter suspended the account which contained anti-Islamic content and white supremacist hate speech.
The posts were pointed out to Twitter itself after the social networking giant tweeted a message of support following the Christchurch mosque attacks last Friday which left 50 people dead.
The New Zealand prime minister has been hailed internationally following her reaction and the handling of the situation.
A day after the mosque attacks, Ardern visited Christchurch wearing a 'dupatta' to express solidarity with Muslims in this hour of grief was well received.
A teary-eyed Ardern said she brought messages of love, support and grief on behalf of all New Zealanders to the crowd gathered at Canterbury Refugee Resettlement and Resources Centre.
The New Zealand premier was showered with immense praises internationally for the gesture, which made it clear that New Zealand stood by the Muslim community that was the centre of Friday's horrifying terror attacks rooted in racial as well as religious hatred.
