A left-wing protest group has had one of their tweets taken down after allegedly posting the addresses of several Republican politicians while urging the far-right Proud Boys group to fight them there.
The tweet, sent by ShutDownDC, contained four addresses and was posted after they staged a protest outside the home of Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, who is among dozens of Republicans who have vowed to object to the congressional certification affirming Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.
The tweet was also sent ahead of planned protests by Trump supporters and far-right extremists such as the Proud Boys in Washington D.C. showing support for the president’s dismissed cries that he lost the election as a result of widespread voter fraud.
“Proud boys if you want to fight us BRING. IT. ON. Come to our homes and fight!” the tweet states before providing the addresses to what is believed to be the homes of more GOP politicians.
The tweet has since been taken down as posting someone’s private information without their permission, an act known as doxxing, is a breach of the social media site’s rules.
“The tweets in question have been actioned for violations of our private information policy,” a spokesperson for Twitter confirmed to Newsweek.
“Sharing private information can pose serious safety and security risks for those affected and can lead to physical, emotional, and financial hardship,” the company adds in their private information policy.
Trump-supporting MMA fighter Tara LaRosa was one of those who condemned the tweet.
“Posting home addresses of prominent Republicans is a nono. Those folks don’t fight. I do,” she wrote. “Where and when? I’ll be there in about 8 hours. No reason we can’t have a chat.”
ShutDownDC have been contacted for further comment.
ShutDownDC said the protest outside Hawley‘s home, which they described as a candlelit vigil, was to voice opposition to the senator’s “undemocratic and unacceptable” plans to challenge the election results on Wednesday.
“Voters decided who they wanted to be president and now Hawley is trying to silence their voices, even after Republican election officials certified the vote counts. And let’s not forget that the bulk of the votes they would throw out come from Black and brown voters,” ShutDownDC activist Patrick Young said in a statement.
“This is an attempted coup waged by silencing the voices of people of color.”
Responding to the protest outside his Missouri home, Hawley described the demonstrators as “antifa scumbags” who threatened his family while he wasn’t there.
“Tonight while I was in Missouri, Antifa scumbags came to our place in DC and threatened my wife and newborn daughter, who can’t travel,” Hawley tweeted.
“They screamed threats, vandalized, and tried to pound open our door.
“Let me be clear: My family & I will not be intimidated by leftwing violence.”
Hawley added: “Now ‘vigil’ means screaming threats through bullhorns, vandalizing property, pounding on the doors of homes and terrorizing innocent people and children.”
Responding to the tweet, ShutDown DC said: “We are absolutely and unapologetically anti-fascists. We are perplexed that someone would use that in the pejorative and we certainly would hope that Senator Hawley also opposes fascism.
“We visited Senator Hawley‘s house for around 30 minutes. We sang songs, chanted and shared our stories. A small group of people delivered a copy of the constitution to his door.
“It’s disappointing that Senator Hawley, a member of what presents itself as the greatest deliberative body in the world, would resort to calling us ‘scumbags.’ But if he must, we’re happy to call him a snowflake.”
(File photo) People hold signs and dance in Black Lives Matter plaza during a rally outside the White House on November 4, 2020 in Washington, D.C. A protest group has had one of their tweets taken down after allegedly posting the addresses of Republican politicians. Chris McGrath/Getty
