Give up false, dangerous narratives: UN’s rights commissioner to President Donald Trump

A United Nation’s top human rights official expressed her distress over the events
that shook the US Capitol on Wednesday, calling on American President Donald
Trump to disavow ‘false and dangerous’ narratives, PTI reported.

“We are deeply troubled by Wednesday’s attack on the US Capitol, which
demonstrated clearly the destructive impact of sustained, deliberate distortion
of facts, and incitement to violence and hatred by political leaders,” UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Thursday.

“We call on leaders from across the political spectrum, including the
President of the United States, to disavow false and dangerous narratives, and
encourage their supporters to do so as well,” she said.

Bachelet conveyed her apprehensions regarding the threats and destruction
of property of media professionals on Thursday and voiced support for a
thorough investigation into the violence and attack on the seat of the American
democracy.

Top United Nations leadership had expressed sadness and concern over the
violence in Washington DC by pro-Trump demonstrators who stormed the US Capitol
as lawmakers gathered to certify the presidential election results.

Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that the UN
had spoken out about risks associated with social media platforms being used to
propagate violence and hate speech.

Also Read | US Police accused of leniency with pro-Trump mob, which stormed Capitol Hill

“I think it just increases the responsibility of the people who manage
those platforms to ensure that they are not misused to do physical harm to
people,” he said.

This comes after social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram blocked President Trump’s account to steer clear of hate-mongering.