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April 25, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – Twitter users are complaining that despite worldwide media coverage and an international uproar over how UK judges and doctors are treating Alfie Evans, the topic has not been “trending” on Twitter but other, less-talked about subjects have.
According to Buzzfeed, the Alfie Evans case has been the subject of three separate Twitter “moments” in the UK, meaning the story was highlighted to British Twitter users. However, many of the tweets about Alfie accuse the social media site of “shadow-banning” or deliberately ignoring Alfie’s case.
Every other tweet in my timeline is about #AlfieEvans. Why is it not trending @TwitterSupport @twitter?
— Kathy (@convoco) April 25, 2018
A pro abortion movement yesformen is trending on twitter with only 360 tweets today. While #AlfieEvans isn’t trending even though there has been 730 tweets in last hour. @Twitter how does that work? pic.twitter.com/PworDyNPvT
— Katia (@KatiaB333) April 25, 2018
@Twitter #AlfieEvans has GOT to be trending… why isn’t it? The poor boy and his family are being held hostage by the UK government and his parents are being forced to watch their son die as medical aid is denied to him. That’s something worth sharing… #AlfiesArmy
— The Hopeful Catholic (@CatholicHopeful) April 25, 2018
.@jack @TwitterSupport @Twitter Why are you #ShadowBanning #AlfieEvans #AlfiesArmy #SaveAlfieEvans
Everytime I type those tags the numbers are the same, which can't be right… #FreeAlfieEvans— John Ribeiro (@JohnFRibeiro) April 25, 2018
Seriously, @twitter? There's literally no way #AlfieEvans isn't trending.
— Steve Skojec (@SteveSkojec) April 24, 2018
Once again, I lament the fact that Trending Topocs and Twitter Moments for today does NOT include anything on baby #AlfieEvans . We get everything from royal baby, to how Harry/Meghan spent their day, to how Kim Kardashian stripped (AGAIN!) for something something, but no #Alfie pic.twitter.com/gkjLAtw1dx
— Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) April 25, 2018
So strange that #AlfieEvans has yet to trend since yesterday. This is a tragic story being talked of around the world and yet, you can't tell based on what Twitter wants to promote…
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) April 24, 2018
@Twitter is censoring/blocking my tweets about #AlfieEvans. I repeatedly tried tweeting this article with constant messages that Twitter couldn’t send it. I have a perfect internet connection and am under the character count. Looks like censorship to me! pic.twitter.com/3RNoCWkhq4
— James Layne (@jlayneca) April 25, 2018
On Monday, April 23, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s third son was born. That day is also the traditional Catholic feast day of St. George, the patron saint of England. As the country welcomed the new royal baby, little Alfie’s ventilator was removed in what doctors and the court said would end his life.
What if his name was Alfie Windsor?
— Ed Condon (@canonlawyered) April 23, 2018
A Tale of Two Kates: The world awaits the name of 1 Kate’s #RoyalBabyName and watches 1 Kate’s #babyalfie being denied #HumanRights and dying without medical treatment! If only #alfieevans was a #RoyalBabyBoy he would be saved. #WednesdayWisdom #alfiesfight #AlfiesArmy pic.twitter.com/VzP4lz2hdr
— Bryan Kemper (@BryanKemper) April 25, 2018
In addition to dominating mainstream UK news outlets, The Washington Post, the Associated Press, TIME, and People have all covered the toddler’s developing case.
The Washington Post outlined the support Thomas Evans and Kate James have from Pope Francis and interviewed Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Center, which is representing Alfie’s family. The AP noted that Italy, which has granted Alfie citizenship, “had a plane ready to transport Alfie to Italy if he were allowed to seek treatment.”
TIME’s take was a bit colder:
It is not uncommon for British courts to intercede between parents and medical staff to decide the fate of critically ill children. In a similar case last year, judges rejected a petition from the parents of 10-month old Charlie Gard to seek experimental treatment in the U.S., despite offers of help from Pope Francis and President Donald Trump. In April, Britain’s High Court ruled “with the heaviest of hearts” against additional treatment “to permit Charlie to die with dignity.” Gard died in July.