On Friday night, Barstool's Dave Portnoy was briefly suspended from Twitter, at which point #FreePortnoy became quite popular on Twitter. Once his account was restored, Portnoy took part in the hashtag himself.
I’m back. #freeportnoy pic.twitter.com/EeY0hnelrO
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 19, 2021
The suspension appears to be over Portnoy's colorful response to a disgruntled Twitter user.
Dave Portnoy says he’ll drop his nuts on mans head. Gets suspended lol pic.twitter.com/U5lvQD7MC4
— kevin coyne (@kcoyne0) June 19, 2021
That tweet is still up as of Saturday afternoon.
So sell it. Mark your calendar. Dm me 1 year from today. Let me drop my nuts on your head. https://t.co/fLehbD6J2Z
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 18, 2021
The National File speculated the suspension may have been Portnoy's celebration about progress made in the pandemic.
BREAKING: Portnoy's account has been reinstated @stoolpresidente
— Jack Hadfield ?????? (@JackHadders) June 19, 2021
We can't say for sure, though, because Twitter's ultimate comment was hardly substantive.
Portnoy tells me he doesn't know what led to his Twitter suspension, though ppl suspect it was his tweet where he told another user "Let me drop my nuts on your head."
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) June 19, 2021
He's back.https://t.co/FZZoNOv49t
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) June 19, 2021
NEW: Twitter finally issued a statement regarding the now-reversed suspension of Dave Portnoy.
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) June 19, 2021
"We've no comment at this time however the account you reference has been reinstated."
UPDATE: In an email to @NationalFile, a Twitter spokesperson acknowledged Portnoy's reinstatement, but refused to answer the questions put towards them regarding his suspension and current guidelines regarding COVID-19 misinformation, as they have "no comment at this time"
— Jack Hadfield ?????? (@JackHadders) June 19, 2021
Users speculated that it was one more example of Big Tech's censorship of a conservative. The platform did ban Donald Trump when he was still the sitting president of the United States, after all.
In 24 hours Dave Portnoy lost his Twitter, Bret Weinstein lost his YouTube, and a former GOP senate candidate Lauren Witzke lost access to Wells Fargo banking
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 19, 2021
Do you see what’s going on?
Dave Portnoy got banned and people are saying that big tech has “crossed the rubicon.” They banned the sitting US President six months ago lol.
— Nicholas J. Fuentes (@NickJFuentes) June 19, 2021
Just a reminder...Dave Portnoy has done more to help small businesses through this pandemic than Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg
— samanthamarika (@samanthamarika1) June 19, 2021
If Dave Portnoy was a liberal, he wouldn't be suspended...
— Matt Couch (@RealMattCouch) June 19, 2021
Prove Me Wrong...
Sure enough, Portnoy is back as if nothing ever happened.