According to reports, Twitter is refusing to evaluate or act on LeBron James’ controversial tweet about the Ohio police officer who shot 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus earlier this week because the NBA player deleted the post.
“Our teams are unable to evaluate Tweets that have been deleted since they no longer exist on our service,” a Twitter spokesperson said, according to the Washington Examiner.
Despite also deleting his tweets following the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, former President Trump was not spared from temporary and permanent suspension on Twitter.
“After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” a statement from Twitter read on January 8.
According to “The Twitter Rules,” users “may not threaten violence against an individual,” or “engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so.”
“Twitter’s purpose is to serve the public conversation. Violence, harassment and other similar types of behavior discourage people from expressing themselves, and ultimately diminish the value of global public conversation. Our rules are to ensure all people can participate in the public conversation freely and safely,” Twitter states.
James posted the photograph on social media on Wednesday of the police officer who allegedly shot and killed a 16-year-old girl in Columbus, Ohio, writing, “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY.”
The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) responded to James’ tweet by writing: “[LeBron James], with his vast resources & influence, should educate himself and, frankly, has a responsibility to do so, on the facts before weighing in. This is disgraceful & extremely reckless. The officer saved a young girl’s life. No amount of gaslighting will change that fact.”
.@KingJames, with his vast resources & influence, should educate himself and, frankly, has a responsibility to do so, on the facts before weighing in. This is disgraceful & extremely reckless.
The officer saved a young girl's life. No amount of gaslighting will change that fact. pic.twitter.com/GTHn1VAAlf
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) April 21, 2021
James deleted the tweet shortly after posting it. Refusing to apologize, James responded on Twitter, saying that he is still angry “for what happened that lil girl.”
“ANGER does [sic] any of us any good and that includes myself!” James said. “Gathering all the facts and educating does though! My anger still is here for what happened that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and may justice prevail!” James wrote.
ANGER does any of us any good and that includes myself! Gathering all the facts and educating does though! My anger still is here for what happened that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and may justice prevail! 🙏🏾✊🏾🤎👑
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
“I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police,” James continued. “I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer. it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY,” he added.
I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer. it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
Ben Shapiro, Editor Emeritus of The Daily Wire, responded, writing, “You’re an out-and-out liar on the state of policing in America and don’t give a damn who pays for those lies. That’s why you posted the lying tweet in the first place. And now you’re making excuses for taking it down.”
“But keep cashing those checks from China, bro,” Shapiro added.
But keep cashing those checks from China, bro.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 22, 2021
Outkick host Clay Travis also responded to James, writing “This dude is the biggest fraud on the planet. The fact that the sports media has spent decades protecting him is embarrassing.”
This dude is the biggest fraud on the planet. The fact that the sports media has spent decades protecting him is embarrassing.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 22, 2021