Thousands sign petition calling on Twitter to respect free speech

(Photo: Unsplash/Con Karampelas)

Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on Twitter to respect the free speech of people with traditional moral values. 

The petition was started on CitizenGo by Voice for Justice UK after its Twitter account was suspended last week "without warning and with no explanation".

It was suspended alongside three other Twitter accounts belonging to Parent Power, RSE Authentic and 40 Days UK, all of which take a traditional view of marriage, sexuality and gender identity, and which have led the campaign against the Government's new mandatory Relationships and Sex Education curriculum.

While the Twitter account of VfJ has been reinstated, the other three remain suspended. 

VfJ's account was reinstated with "no explanation or apology", the organisation said. 

An email from Twitter informing them of the decision said only: "We're writing to let you know that we've unsuspended your account."

VfJ said it was probably reinstated because it complained and "made the greatest fuss".

"However dressed up, the original unwarranted suspension of four morally conservative but otherwise inoffensive groups would appear to be a clear and unambiguous attack on freedom of thought and speech," VfJ said.

The petition, which has been signed by nearly 5,000 people, calls on Twitter to uphold free speech and reinstate the three suspended Twitter accounts. 

"Given the international profile of Twitter, it has the appearance of a neutral forum for the free expression of views. However, this unprovoked suspension would appear to be clear evidence of intolerance and bigotry against religion and traditional family values," the petition reads.

"By such unwarranted and unjustified action, Twitter is opening itself to accusations of intolerance, bigotry, and anti-religious bias. If that is in fact its position, it should say so. If not, it should be open to all. "