German soccer club Werder Bremen stops posting on X citing rise of hate speech
Werder's Jens Stage, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SV Werder Bremen and Holstein Kiel in Bremen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Carmen Jaspersen
BREMEN, Germany — German soccer club Werder Bremen is the second Bundesliga team to stop posting on X, citing a rise in hate speech since Elon Musk bought the social media platform.
Werder announced the decision after a club meeting late Monday, following St. Pauli’s decision last week also to post instead on the Bluesky platform.
Werder had more than a half-million followers for its German-language channel on X, which was named Twitter when the club joined in May 2008.
“Under the guise of freedom of expression, hate speech, hatred towards minorities, right-wing extremist posts and conspiracy theories have been allowed to spread on X at an incredible pace,” the club said in a post in English.
The “recent radicalization” of X meant “a line has been crossed,” Werder said.
Musk was cited in a news release in German on Werder’s website that claimed he used the platform as a political weapon.
Werder is eighth in the 18-team Bundesliga and won the last of its four titles in 2004.
President-elect Donald Trump looks on with Elon Musk, right, at a UFC 309 mixed martial arts flyweight title bout, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger
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