(JTA) — The Twitter account of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was reinstated a day after it was suspended following a tweet in which he called to “SHUT DOWN a few synagogues.”
Duke’s account was suspended on Monday and reinstated hours later, but with all of his followers erased. The suspension followed a tweet on Sunday in which Duke linked to an article in the Israeli daily Haaretz about synagogues serving as sanctuaries for those who might be affected by the Trump administration’s new immigration policies.
Following the reinstatement, Duke issued several negative tweets about Jews and Israel. Several of his supporters blamed the suspension on the Jews.
“David Duke, great American Patriot & Trump supporter has been suspended from Twitter. Just another example of Jew power over all of U.S,” read at tweet by @dawg_norman.
“Dr David Duke has been shoahed by the Jews running Twitter,” read another by @AdolfJBiden.
During his radio program, Duke appeared to give credence to those claims, saying one of the reasons his account might have been suspended was because “I expose the fact that Israel is an ethno-state,” the Forward reported.
Last week, Twitter added an automated system for shutting down users who violate its terms of service, including using hate speech, according to CNNTech. A Twitter spokesman told the news outlet that if an account is found to be suspended in error it is immediately restored.
Twitter has previously suspended and reinstated the account of white nationalist Richard Spencer.
A former state representative who ran unsuccessfully for Congress and Louisiana governor, Duke has long alleged that Jews control the American media and international banks.
