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World leaders offer their tributes to Queen Elizabeth II
IndyTV
Jeff Bezos has found himself at the centre of a social media controversy after slamming a critic of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Amazon founder faced a backlash after criticising a professor who accused the British empire of genocide.
Bezos quoted a tweet from Carnegie Mellon professor Uju Anya, who’d written several hours before, which had been delated : “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.”
Bezos, quoting the post, then tweeted: “This is someone supposedly working to make the world better? I don’t think so. Wow.”
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Dr Anya replied to Bezos on twitter, writing: “Otoro gba gbue gi May everyone you and your merciless greed have harmed in this world remember you as fondly as I remember my colonizers.”
While some supported Bezos’s sentiment and criticised Dr Anya’s post, others hit out at the CEO questioning his own billionaire legacy and wealth.
“Pretty funny coming from the guy who could end world poverty and homelessness 100 times over...and simply chooses not to,” one said.
Bezos hit out at Dr Anya on ThursdayGetty Images
Another added: “Monarchies shouldn't exist in this 21st century, so billionaires [sic].”
Dr Anya also wrote: “If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star.”
Twitter later took down Dr Anya’s first tweet, claiming it violated Twitter Rules.
Bezos also posted a separate tribute to the Queen, writing: "I can think of no one who better personified duty. My deepest condolences to all the Brits mourning her passing today."
Indy100 has reached out to Bezos for further comment.
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