Brazil's X ban drives Bolsonaro supporters to rally for 'free speech'

[Judi Lynn]

3 hours ago


SAO PAULO (AP) – Thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro flooded Sao Paulo’s main boulevard for an Independence Day rally Saturday, buoyed by the government’s blocking of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X platform, a ban they say is proof of their political persecution.

A few thousand demonstrators, clad in the yellow-and-green colors of Brazil’s flag, poured onto Av Paulista. References to the ban on X and images of Musk abounded.

“Thank you for defending our freedom,” read one banner praising the tech entrepreneur.
Saturday’s march was seen as a test of Bolsonaro’s capacity to mobilize turnout ahead of the October municipal elections, even though Brazil’s electoral court has barred him from running for office until 2030. It’s also something of a referendum on X, whose suspension has raised eyebrows even among some of Bolsonaro’s opponents all the while stoking the flames of Brazil’s deep-seated political polarisation.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered X’s nationwide ban on August 30 after months of feuding with Musk over the limits of free speech. The powerful judge has spearheaded efforts to ban far-right users from spreading misinformation on social media, and he ramped up his clampdown after die-hard Bolsonaro supporters ransacked Congress and the presidential palace on January 8, 2023, in an attempt to overturn Bolsonaro’s defeat in the presidential election.

More:
https://borneobulletin.com.bn/brazils-x-ban-drives-bolsonaro-supporters-to-rally-for-free-speech/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Thousands Protest in Sao Paulo Against X Ban in Brazil

Ryan Morgan
By Ryan Morgan
September 7, 2024

Thousands of Brazilians gathered in Sao Paulo on Sept. 7 to protest the Brazilian Supreme Court’s recent decision to impose a nationwide ban on the X social media app.

The protests coincided with Brazilian Independence Day celebrations, and many in attendance wore the yellow and green of the Brazilian flag as they expressed support for X and free speech rights more broadly, and called for lawmakers to impeach Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Elon Musk, who owns X, has contested orders from the Brazilian government over content moderation. De Moraes has repeatedly called on X to block accounts accused of spreading misinformation, but Musk—who has positioned himself as a free-speech proponent—has accused the Brazilian jurist of engaging in censorship.

Last week, de Moraes ordered X’s operations in Brazil shuttered until the social media company names a legal representative for its operations in the country. The judge also imposed a daily fine of about $8,900 on those attempting to access the site via a virtual private network (VPN), or by other means.

More:
https://www.ntd.com/thousands-protest-in-sao-paulo-against-x-ban-in-brazil_1015615.html

[Judi Lynn]

2. Bolsonaro Uses Judge's Ban on X to Energize Brazil's Right Wing

By Daniel Carvalho
September 07, 2024 at 4:53PM E

(Bloomberg) -- Former President Jair Bolsonaro rallied thousands in Sao Paulo, seeking to reinforce his grip on Brazil’s right-wing opposition by denouncing the top court’s ban on Elon Musk’s X social network.

Bolsonaro’s main target was Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading efforts to combat fake news and hate speech in Brazil. The judge ordered the platform formerly known as Twitter shut down after a monthslong clash with the billionaire owner of the platform.

“I hope the Senate puts the brakes on Alexandre de Moraes,” Bolsonaro told the crowd.

His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, said Moraes strives to “end freedom of speech in the country” and asked for his impeachment. Musk “understands that the battle is for freedom of speech and transcends economic issues,” he said.

More:
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/09/07/bolsonaro-uses-judges-ban-on-x-to-energize-brazils-right-wing/