Published on 6/13/2026
Elon Musk – who was recently crowned the world’s first trillionaire – faced new criticism yesterday, Friday, against the backdrop of anti-immigrant riots in Belfast, after researchers said that violent stories he promoted – via his “X” platform – received millions of views.
Confrontations broke out in the Northern Irish capital following a stabbing attack that took place last Monday, in which a Sudanese refugee named Hadi Al-Adeed was accused.
According to the report, Musk amplified calls for protests across Britain launched by anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson, and wrote to his more than 240 million followers on the “X” platform: “No change will happen except through repeated and loud protest.”
He also contributed to republishing anti-immigration content by Robert Low, leader of the far-right Restore Britain party, which led to his content reaching millions of users.
Researchers at the Center for Combating Digital Hate reported that posts related to the events – belonging to Musk and three main accounts – received more than 115 million views, including 64 million views related to Musk alone, and the center said that Musk’s amplification was pivotal in the spread of the content.
The center’s founder, Imran Ahmed, added that Musk – as the owner of the “X” platform and its largest followed user – has a wide influence in shaping the circulating content, considering that this influence is accompanied by a degree of responsibility for the content and behavior that his platform promotes.
He added that the research showed that the Belfast incident was exploited to amplify anti-immigrant rhetoric, which contributed to repeated calls for violence, while the “X” platform did not respond to a request for comment.
The report indicated that Robinson’s account – which was previously banned – was reactivated after Musk took over the platform in 2022, along with other accounts that were accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech.
The Center for Combating Digital Hate added that it monitored thousands of comments that included calls for violence, including calls that included more than 3,900 comments calling for field executions against immigrants, especially in responses to Robinson’s posts.
https://x.com/AJArabic/status/2065481996508270716/video/1
Neighborhoods in Belfast turned into an arena of confrontation, as hundreds of protesters on Tuesday burned homes and cars, chanting racist slogans demanding the expulsion of immigrants, following a stabbing incident that targeted a British citizen in which one of the immigrants was suspected of being involved.
Northern Ireland Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill strongly criticized these protests, calling for calm and stopping the escalation.
In the aftermath, the Muslim community lived in a state of fear after homes and shops were targeted, while worshipers were forced to remain inside one of the Islamic centers without being able to leave.
