Twitter restricted Berniers account for 12hrs after he urged followers to play dirty with journalists
Twitter restricted People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier's account, preventing him from posting any new messages for 12 hours after he used the platform to encourage his supporters to "play dirty" with journalists covering his campaign.
The offending tweets singled out three reporters, calling them "idiots" and describing their efforts to question him as "disgusting smear jobs." Bernier tweeted out their email addresses and encouraged his followers to "play dirty."
CTV journalist Christy Somos responded to the attacks online. In a tweet describing "what your inbox looks like after Bernier tweets about you," Somos posted a screenshot of a threatening email she was sent.
In that email, someone who appears to be a PPC supporter says that they hope Somos is sexually assaulted and murdered and encourages her to kill herself.
In case you’re wondering what your inbox looks like after Bernier tweets about you <a href="https://t.co/qf6PpJWcBp">pic.twitter.com/qf6PpJWcBp</a>
—@C_SomosAfter Bernier posted the email address of a Global News journalist who questioned him, Global reporter Ahmar Khan also posted a screenshot of a message he received that he described as both antisemitic and Islamophobic.
If your response to media inquires about white supremacy within your party is to doxx journalists, maybe also tell said followers not to send *both* anti-Semitic and Islamophobic messages. <a href="https://t.co/yf8wj9FgkJ">pic.twitter.com/yf8wj9FgkJ</a>
—@AhmarSKhanKhan said he became the subject of Bernier's tweets after sending the PPC's press office a request the day after the election asking if the party could provide someone to talk to him about voters' concerns about possible extremism in the party.
"I've spoken with a number of folks, and some have highlighted their concerns for what the party stands for, and stressed discomfort upon seeing your signs. They fear that the PPC is pushing far-right extremism and allowing people who [are] xenophobic in the party [to] run as candidates," Khan's email to the PPC said.
Twitter said in a media statement that Bernier's tweets violated the company's private information policy by publishing the reporters' email addresses.
The account was suspended at 11 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The account was reactivated 12 hours later after Bernier took down the offending tweets.
Bernier's account was locked in read-only mode â€" which allowed him to send and receive private messages and permitted others to look at his account, but didn't allow him to tweet out messages himself.
The Canadian Association of Journalists published a screenshot of Bernier's tweets, saying that going after journalists "for doing their basic duty is unacceptable and dangerous behaviour."
Journalists have a legal and ethical obligation to send questions and request comment from our politicians. Going after them for doing their basic duty is unacceptable and dangerous behaviour. <a href="https://t.co/bJhrEEJBOk">pic.twitter.com/bJhrEEJBOk</a>
—@cajIt remains unclear if Bernier published the offending tweets himself, if someone else in his party did so with his approval or if they were published without his involvement.
CBC News reached out to PPC spokesman Martin Masse for comment but has yet to receive a response.
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