In the UK, October is Black History Month. While many use it as an opportunity to celebrate Black Brits, others send messages like the following, Dawn Butler found out:

Yet another horrific Block of the Month. This is only a sample of what I’ve received. #ButlerBlocks

I’ve suffered a relentless wave of racist abuse this #BHM2025 — and again after challenging the Reform MP’s racist comments.

Lets unite in calling this behaviour out. pic.twitter.com/RsNGvlGJLl

— Dawn Butler (@DawnButlerBrent) October 31, 2025

Dawn Butler and Black History Month

To give you an idea of the posts these people were replying to, this is the sort of thing Butler said about Black History Month:

A powerful way to close #BlackHistoryMonth – standing firm in power and pride alongside the inspirational @TessaSandersonOBE

Huge thanks to @GibsonDunn for hosting such a thoughtful and uplifting event. pic.twitter.com/64iG6howOU

— Dawn Butler (@DawnButlerBrent) October 31, 2025

Most of the responses to her post were sent in solidarity:

A Reform supporter, meanwhile, suggested the real victims are white people who support political parties:

@zarahussain999 everyone on social media gets attacked for their views…I get called everything under the sun because I support @reformparty_uk. But because I’m white it’s ok

— Sugar (@Ihatesugar3) October 31, 2025

Another account argued white people are inherently racist — something we’d disagree with. They also incorrectly stated that British-born Butler moved here (not that it should make any difference):

Don’t like racism? Why move to a white country?

— EUROPA WATCH (@EuropaWatch_) November 1, 2025

While it’s easy to find fault with posts like this, there are so many of them it becomes counterproductive – especially as these people don’t care about being right, and many of them are bots.

As Butler says, it’s a “relentless wave”.

Anti-social media

While messages like the above have always existed on Twitter, the volume has increased significantly.

Before Elon Musk bought the site, the posts Butler highlighted would have landed a user a ban. This system was never perfect or timely, and people could just create new accounts, but it did keep a lid on things.

This site has become a contaminated zone.

Full of outright fascism, proud racism, poisons of all sorts, belligerence and ignorance.

Not only not countered, but egged on from the top since 2022.

— Peter Shaw (@PCSoblahdeehell) October 31, 2025

In the Musk era, a person can be as racist as they like without consequences. It’s hard to tell if this is making average people more racist or if it’s just emboldening a minority, but it’s certainly pushing politicians further to the right. This is why MPs like Sarah Pochin are casually admitting that the sight of Black and Asian people infuriates them:

Reform MP: Seeing black and brown people in adverts makes me angry.

There’s a word for that. https://t.co/hylLu2V85N

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) October 25, 2025

After Pochin said this, most non-Twitter users reacted in the normal way – i.e. with disgust. Many on Twitter, however, reacted by saying things like: ‘well actually I also get irrationally furious when I see Black people in adverts, so she shouldn’t be apologising‘.

These same people were saying we need to mandate white diversity in adverts despite opposing diversity targets in other work forces. They didn’t think about this obvious contradiction because they don’t think; they just react.

As we’ve seen, online racism can also translates into offline violence:

Reporting this now to the police.

I’ve been assaulted by one far right maniac before, but was able to defend myself. If he had a knife it would be very different.

We need to be honest about the levels of extremism being openly indulged in this country now. pic.twitter.com/TRxZ8ynz95

— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) October 31, 2025

In a microcosm, this is what Twitter is now. A giant microwave in which a person’s brain cells are radiated with racism until they burst like popcorn.

Solidarity to Dawn Butler and all those who are having to endure this increasingly rabid platform.

Featured image via Roboflow Universe / Parliament

By Willem Moore

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