Twitter bans Milo Yiannopoulos after Leslie Jones posts
Internet 'supervillain' permanently suspended over claims he and his followers trolled Ghostbusters star

Twitter has permanently suspended the account of right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos amid claims he incited his followers to attack actress Leslie Jones with racist and misogynistic tweets.
The controversial Breitbart technology editor had more than 338,000 followers when his account was deleted yesterday.
Yiannopoulos and his supporters were allegedly behind abusive tweets sent to Jones on Monday. The Ghostbusters star eventually deleted her account.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I leave Twitter tonight with tears and a very sad heart," she said. "All this cause I did a movie."
Twitter did not refer directly to Yiannopoulos's ban, but said: "People should be able to express diverse opinions and beliefs on Twitter. But no one deserves to be subjected to targeted abuse online, and our rules prohibit inciting or engaging in the targeted abuse or harassment of others."
Yiannopoulos describes himself as the "most fabulous supervillain on the internet" and has likened rape culture to Harry Potter - calling them both "fantasy" – and described feminism as a "cancer".
"He has made a living as a provocateur, continually inflaming tensions between progressive branches of the internet focused on identity politics and the fervently anti-PC segment that constantly trolls it," says Buzzfeed.
Calling the suspension "cowardly", Yiannopoulos said Twitter had confirmed itself as "no-go zone" for conservatives.
"Like all acts of the totalitarian regressive left, this will blow up in their faces, netting me more adoring fans," he added.
However, many on the site welcomed his expulsion:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - May 10, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and more
-
5 streetwise cartoons about defunding PBS
Cartoons Artists take on immigrant puppets, defense spending, and more
-
Dark chocolate macadamia cookies recipe
The Week Recommends These one-bowl cookies will melt in your mouth
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical