Two British anti-hate speech campaigners sanctioned by US state department UK politics live

"The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose. These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign statesin each case targeting American speakers and American companies. As such, I have determined that their entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States."

"The state department has sanctioned five Europeans. The list includes two Britons: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index. Ahmed used to work for the Labour party and he is close to Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer's chief of staff. According to Politico's London Playbook, Ahmed is based in Washington, where he has an American wife and child, and he now faces deportation."

"Good morning. Christmas is the time of peace on earth and goodwill towards all men. But there is not much sign of that in US/UK relations this morning, where the Trump administration has just sanctioned two Britons, among others, for supposedly trying to suppress free speech in the US, and that has led to the Lib Dem leader Ed Davey engaging in a Twitter war with a senior figure in the US state department."

US State Department imposed sanctions on five European individuals accused of leading organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints. Two Britons named include Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate and Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index; Ahmed faces potential deportation and Melford possible visa revocation. The move prompted public defense from Sarah Rogers and heightened tensions between UK figures and US officials, including a Twitter exchange involving Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey. The sanctions underline US opposition to extraterritorial efforts to influence American speech.

Read at www.theguardian.com