Linus has a reputation to protect. As he said in that BBC writeup, the last thing he wants is to be associated with that horrible scum on the internet. Personally and professionally, he wants to distance himself from the alt-right.
Among the most vocal activists for change in the OSS community, "alt-right" means anyone who does not accept intersectional feminism as a fundamental tenet of their worldview, and given their penchant for "call-out culture" they won't hesitate to put you on blast across Twitter and wherever else.
Among the most vocal activists for change in the OSS community, "alt-right" means anyone who does not accept intersectional feminism as a fundamental tenet of their worldview, and given their penchant for "call-out culture" they won't hesitate to put you on blast across Twitter and wherever else.