Did Rob Ford get his foremost online impersonator banned from Twitter?

Anyone who follows Toronto politics on Twitter has run across @TOMayorFrod, an often funny, often weirdly sincere Rob Ford parody account run by composer and sound designer Richard Feren. @TOMayorFrod is a beloved online fixture, better known and more widely read than other parody accounts like @80sDougFord and the sadly departed @HULKMAYOR. But no more. Earlier today, the account was suspended, and it seems likely that the mayor’s office was involved.

Although even Feren himself still isn’t sure why @TOMayorFrod was shut down, Twitter’s impersonation policy says that the company only accepts complaints about copycat accounts from the people being impersonated or their legal representatives. CityTV’s Cynthia Mulligan adds that Ford’s staffers have told her that they did inquire about the account, though they didn’t ask for it to be removed.

Admittedly, the account was confusingly similar to the mayor’s official Twitter account. It’s easy to see how it may have run afoul of Twitter’s rules.

While we wait for a full explanation, here’s a look at how the mourning process is unfolding on Twitter.

Save @TOMayorFrod! The parody account MORE USEFUL THAN THE ACTUAL MAYOR. #FreeFrod

— Mathew Kumar (@mathewkumar) February 19, 2014

I do hope the good people at Twitter reconsider their decision to suspend @TOMayorFrod, a parody account that brought a lot to the table.

— Ivor Tossell (@ivortossell) February 19, 2014

Unless the elites release @tomayorfrod. Operation Red Dawn is goin' into effect. Gonna go full Wolverine. Blow sh*t up #topoli

— 80s Doug Ford (@80sDougFord) February 19, 2014

.@RichardFeren does great work with the @TOMayorFrod account. And it's not like he's under police investigation or nothing. Bring it back.

— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) February 19, 2014