Sadiq Khan’s office has expressed concern after false and racially-oriented social media messages about London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) were viewed hundreds of thousands of times without being taken down.

The concern over the tweets, which falsely claim the London mayor plans to exempt Muslims and other “minority religions” from the charge, came after analysis that indicated there could be a paid-for campaign using fake accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, to amplify anti-Ulez sentiment.

Khan’s plan to expand the zone, which charges drivers of the most heavily polluting vehicles 12.50 a day, to outer London has become politically controversial, especially since the Conservatives narrowly won the Uxbridge byelection with a campaign heavily focused on opposing the plan.

Ulez has increasingly become a focus for social media abuse of the Labour mayor, who has been targeted by an estimated 300,000 pieces of openly racist or racially-oriented abuse since he assumed office in 2016.

The latest incarnation, sent by a series of rightwing accounts, features a faked newspaper article about Khan’s supposed plan for a religious exemption.

The mocked-up article says Khan had announced at a press conference that people travelling for a medical emergency or “prayer for the minority religions” would not have to pay the charge even if their car was heavily polluting.

Khan is Muslim, with Islam identified as one of the faiths supposedly exempt. “Which religion do you think...

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