Elon Musk Amplifies Belfast Anti-Immigrant Protests After 1 Knife Attack as UK Warns on Online Incitement
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jun 11
Elon Musk Amplifies Belfast Anti-Immigrant Protests After 1 Knife Attack as UK Warns on Online Incitement
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jun 11
Summary
Musk reposted hard-right Restore Britain calls for mass deportations, shared Belfast protest locations and urged people to protest "REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY" as riots spread after Monday’s stabbing.
Belfast unrest has targeted mostly immigrant communities, with vehicles and homes set ablaze; police faced bricks and bottles on Wednesday and responded with water cannons.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned those who encouraged the disorder online, while Ofcom said some of the civil unrest appeared to have been incited on social media and reminded platforms of duties under the Online Safety Act.
The suspected attacker is a Sudanese refugee legally in the UK, and videos of the assault circulated widely on X, fueling anti-immigrant narratives Musk also echoed in posts about crimes in Germany.
The flare-up comes as SpaceX prepares for an IPO later this week, with Musk’s statements and actions already flagged in the company’s filings as a business risk.