IMPORTANT UPDATE, 10:30 PM TUESDAY: Milo Yiannopoulos has been “permanently suspended” from Twitter for violating its “hateful conduct policy”.
Milo Yiannopoulos is defiant over his role in Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones deciding to leave Twitter, and said he has no regrets over the row.
After receiving racial abuse, Jones has left Twitter—at least temporarily—and although the alt-right provocateur was not explicitly racist himself in his words to the actress, he did disparagingly refer to her as a “black dude,” resulting in Jones blocking him.
I leave Twitter tonight with tears and a very sad heart.All this cause I did a movie.You can hate the movie but the shit I got today…wrong
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) July 19, 2016
“No, of course, I don’t have any regrets,” Milo told Heat Street. “But feminists on the other hand should have regrets that they have taught strong women that they are victims and attacked people for having different opinions to them on Twitter.”
Milo posted a vitriolic review of Ghostbusters on Breitbart and said those involved with the controversial Sony remake should develop a thicker skin. He added: “The correct response [from the Ghostbusters camp] is to come out with a better movie and not attack the people who don’t like it.”
He added in a reference to his homosexuality: “I keep getting accused of being a white supremacist. But if that’s the case, I must be the first black-dick-sucking white supremacist in history. And if I was a white supremacist I would like the dated ’80s shtick that is the new Ghostbusters film a lot more than I do.”
Jones retweeted the racist harassment she received on Twitter, and then her own tweets were edited to make it seem as though she were writing racist and homophobic statements.
Milo then weighed in with caustic comments about Jones. After the two became embroiled in a row, she blocked him.
https://twitter.com/Nero/status/755158913297899521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
@Nero I'm hearing this guy is a columnist how sad. Is this how he gets his readers thru supporting hate? I'm acting like a victim? Nice job
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) July 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Nero/status/755177899423043584
@Lesdoggg @Nero he's basically the Uncle Tom of Gay ppl. Huge Trump/alt-right fanboy who is gay.
— Backpacker (@backpackerFLASH) July 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Nero/status/755179836080025602
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, and another bête noire of Milo’s, reached out to Jones on the social network and many of the troll accounts targeting the actress were banned or suspended. But she has now left Twitter with celebrities including Brie Larson, Judd Apatow and Jada Pinkett Smith coming to her defense.
@Lesdoggg Hi Leslie, following, please DM me when you have a moment
— Jack (@jack) July 19, 2016
Milo is still on Twitter but he has a checkered history with the network. Earlier this year he lost his verification mark and then got temporarily suspended in the wake of the Orlando shooting.
He refused to back down over Jones, saying: “She is a star of a blockbuster movie! if she’s getting upset about what people are saying on the Internet, she shouldn’t be in the business.”
Leslie Jones is one of the greatest people I know. Any personal attacks against her are attacks against us all. #LoveForLeslieJ @Lesdoggg
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) July 18, 2016
