BBCThe Prime Minister said Elon Musk’s criticism of the police response to the riots in Birmingham this week was “dangerous”.
The owner of X (formerly Twitter) claimed that the police were engaging in “double policing”.
Responding to a video of a group of mainly Muslim men gathered outside a pub in Yardley where unrest erupted on Monday, Musk tagged Sir Keir Starmer in a post questioning why all communities had not been “protected” in the UK.
The First Minister, visiting Solihull on Thursday, said talk of a dual police system was wrong and dangerous as it would put police at “further risk”.
Sir Keir was in the town to reassure local leaders following recent unrest and protests.
His visit came after police were called to break up a large gathering involving two groups at The Hub mosque on Hermitage Road over the weekend.
The rally took place after anti-immigration protests in Solihull.
West Midlands Police said there was no dual policing in the area and that forces would “police without fear or prejudice”.
Asked by the BBC if he had any thoughts about Mr Musk’s comments, the Prime Minister said: “The police should be grateful for their action.”
“They have a very difficult task as they are dealing with many areas of disturbance,” Sir Keir said.
“The story of a dual-tiered police force is wrong, untrue and dangerous because it puts police at even greater risk than they are already at,” he added.
Sir Keir said the UK had “lots of police officers in the right places” and there was no chaos like many had feared on Wednesday night.
He said the prison sentences handed down to those involved in violent acts sent a “powerful message” that the criminal justice system was working swiftly.
He also said that “our collective efforts to reassure communities” were becoming more effective.
Referring to his visit to Solihull, Sir Keir said it was important to reassure local communities, saying: “I’ve spoken to a number of people this morning, many of whom are very concerned about the situation.”
Simon Foster, Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, said the Prime Minister’s visit “demonstrates how seriously the Government is addressing the recent unrest and violence”.
The Labour PCC said he raised concerns during his meeting with Sir Keir about how quickly hate and misinformation can spread on social media.
“I have sent a very clear message that social media companies must not be allowed to tolerate hateful online content that has the potential to cause enormous harm and damage.”
