German soccer club St. Pauli is leaving the social media platform X, saying it has become a “hate machine” that could influence upcoming German elections. The left-leaning Hamburg-based Bundesliga club said Thursday said it was ending its activities on the platform formerly called Twitter,

Musk purchased the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022. Critics say his hands-off approach has allowed lies and hate speech to spread, while Musk has said he is defending free speech. Hamburg-based St Pauli are known for having an alternative fan scene and left-wing supporter base.