Controversial site Gab used by synagogue shooting suspect back online

Gab, which was booted by its domain host after a user of the platform was accused of killing 11 in a Pittsburgh synagogue, came back online this week.

{mosads}The platform, which bills itself as a free speech alternative to Twitter, has been scrutinized for attracting far-right, white supremacist and neo-Nazi users who have flocked to its platform after being banned from mainstream sites like Twitter and Facebook.

The scrutiny hit a climax in the aftermath of last month’s tragedy in Pittsburgh when the company PayPal said that it would no longer provide service to the site and Gab’s web host, GoDaddy, also decided to drop it, effectively taking the platform offline.

Robert Bowers, the alleged Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, had posted hateful messages on the platform, including that “jews are the children of satan.” In his final post before the shooting, Bowers wrote, “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

Gab is up and running again as of Sunday after moving to a new host, Epik.

“Although I did not take the decision lightly to accept this domain registration, I look forward to partnering with a young, and once brash, CEO who is courageously doing something that looks useful,” wrote Epik CEO Rob Monster in a post titled “Why Epik welcomed Gab.”

“As I reflect on my own journey as a truth-seeking tech entrepreneur, I have no doubt that Andrew will continue to develop not only as tech entrepreneur but also as a responsible steward — one that can balance bravado with diplomacy and who tempers courage with humility.”

Gab has aggressively defended itself in the wake of the shooting, calling it unfair to be blamed for the actions of one user.

On Sunday, it issued an announcement that it found a new host and would restore its service.

Here is our press release to the media:

You failed. We are back online. We grow stronger by the hour. Free speech lives at https://t.co/J3Rfto6fi3. This is only the beginning. May God have mercy on you for what you people have done this past week. Peace, love, and prayers.

— Gab.com (@getongab) November 5, 2018