Elon Musk's X platform has spoken out on Lucy Connolly's release from prison, taking aim at Britain's stance on free speech.
Lucy Connolly was released from prison after serving nine months in jail for social media posts uploaded following the Southport attack in 2024.
Mrs Connolly, 42, the wife of Conservative councillor Raymond Connolly, pleaded giulty to stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers online, calling on mass deportation and for members of the public to set fire to hotels.
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In a post to X, which was deleted less than four hours later, she wrote: "Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f****** hotels full of the b****** for all I care... if that makes me racist so be it."
The 31-month sentence has caused a national discussion centred around free speech, with critics outraged over the lengthy sentence.
Now, the platform she used to post the comments, have spoken out accusing the Labour Government of a "crackdown on free speech."
The Global Government Affairs wrote: "Lucy Connolly has been released from prison after serving 10 months of an unjust 31-month sentence for a single deleted post.
"The UK government's crackdown on free speech remains a concern, but it’s great to see Lucy reunite with her family. X will continue to be steadfast in our support of users’ right to freedom of speech on the platform."
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Lucy Connolly has said she is considering taking legal action against the police following her release from prison | THE TELEGRAPHThe former childminder was ordered to serve 40 per cent of her sentence in prison before being released on licence.
Sir Keir Starmer previously defended the sentencing earlier this year, when questioned whether her imprisonment was an "efficient or fair use" of prison space.
The Prime Minister said: "Sentencing is a matter for our courts, and I celebrate the fact that we have independent courts in this country.
"I am strongly in favour of free speech; we've had free speech in this country for a very long time, and we protect it fiercely. But I am equally against incitement to violence against other people.
"I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe."
Elon Musk's X platform has been following the case
|X
However, Sir Keir has since been embroiled in a hypocrisy row after the Prime Minister's own guidelines "should have spared Lucy Connolly from jail".
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also said that the sentence handed to Mrs Connolly was "harsher than the sentences handed down for bricks thrown at police or actual rioting".
In a post on X, Mrs Badenoch said: "Juries are a cornerstone of justice, but we shouldn't have to rely on them to protect basic freedoms.
"Protecting people from words should not be given greater weight in law than public safety. If the law does this, then the law itself is broken - and it's time Parliament looked again at the Public Order Act."
Elon Musk bought the social media platform X
| PAIn her first interview since being released, Mrs Connolly confirmed that she is due to meet with the Donald Trump administration over a "free speech crackdown", an administration that Mr Musk previously served under.
Speaking about her meeting with Trump representatives, she said: "They are very interested in the way things are going in the UK and they’re obviously advocates for free speech.
"Their lawyers are keen to speak with me,” she told Dan Wootton’s podcast.
Mr Musk has long been one of the leading voices criticising free speech in the UK.