German state media has accused the billionaire Elon Musk and activist Tommy Robinson of inciting a “hunt” for migrants following a violent incident involving an asylum seeker in Belfast.
The Tuesday edition of ZDF’s main program, “Today Live,” claimed that the outrage stemming from a video of a Sudanese asylum seeker allegedly attempting to decapitate a man in Northern Ireland earlier this month was incited by harmful foreign influencers on social media. Musk and Robinson were specifically mentioned as key figures in this alleged instigation.
Presenters Christina Ungern Sternberg and her colleague described the incident as “a brutal attempted murder” that gained widespread attention on social media. They noted that racist groups subsequently targeted migrants, suggesting that the situation was exacerbated by Musk’s comments. They indicated that this sort of reaction was not unprecedented.
However, ZDF did not provide evidence linking Musk or Robinson to any calls for violence against migrants during the Belfast riots. In fact, the broadcaster’s cited sources seemed to contradict their narrative.
Among the posts referenced, Robinson stated: “The whole of Britain is taking to the streets tonight at 7pm in response to yet another attack by invaders on our people.” This post included suggestions for protesters to remain “peacefully, respectfully and together.” Musk shared Robinson’s post, adding that “Change will only happen by protesting loudly and repeatedly!!”
There’s no clear indication that either Musk or Robinson urged violence in response to the horrific incident in Belfast. Yet, much of the ZDF program focused on suggesting Musk and Robinson had a harmful influence.
Expert Ciaran O’Connor, hired by ZDF and affiliated with the Soros-backed Institute for Strategic Dialogue, claimed that Musk has increasingly shared anti-immigrant sentiments over the past five years, promoting local issues on a global scale.
While O’Connor refrained from directly accusing Musk of advocating for violence against migrants, he noted that social media was exploited to share the addresses of places housing migrants, ostensibly for targeting purposes.
He mentioned a recurring pattern where tragic events heighten crime-related tensions, prompting real-time social media calls for protests or actions, which sometimes lead to explicit calls for violence.
O’Connor also emphasized the need for UK and European regulators to pressure social media platforms to combat “disinformation” and create protocols to prevent the promotion of certain news items through algorithms.
On the other hand, the backlash may be directed at ZDF, as Tino Strassenberg, a Stuttgart city councilor from the AfD party, has filed a complaint against the broadcaster for allegedly defaming Musk and Robinson.
This isn’t ZDF’s first controversy regarding misinformation. Last year, they retracted claims made by their Washington correspondent that misrepresented statements made by the late Charlie Kirk, incorrectly suggesting he called for violence against homosexuals when he was merely quoting a Bible verse.
Furthermore, other ZDF personnel sought to discredit Kirk posthumously, including statements labeling his political views as “extreme” and “inhumane.”
