Social media played a central role in escalating the violent riots that erupted in Belfast on Tuesday evening, with cars set ablaze, houses torched, and residents forced to flee. The unrest followed a knife attack on Stephen Ogilvie, allegedly by a 30-year-old Sudanese national. However, the incident gained widespread attention after being amplified on social platforms, reaching global audiences and drawing in figures like Elon Musk, the world's richest man, who reshared politically charged posts.
Elon Musk's Role in Stoking Tensions
Labour Party officials have accused Musk of inflaming divisions by promoting calls for protests. Musk posted on X: 'Only by protesting repeatedly and loudly will there be any change!' He also reposted a video of himself saying, 'You either fight back or you die,' with the caption: 'That’s what it comes down to.' Even as political leaders urged calm, Musk endorsed the right-wing Restore Britain party, writing: 'Only Restore Britain can save Britain. It is the only way.'
Tommy Robinson's Incitement
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, shared updates from Belfast, including a clip of a burning local store, claiming 'Foreign businesses are being destroyed in Belfast.' He posted graphics instructing businesses to close by 5:30 pm and urged followers to leave phones at home to avoid surveillance. Robinson also claimed that the burned homes were Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which he has previously blamed for housing asylum seekers.
Labour's Condemnation
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley stated that online platforms were 'playing a role in driving' the unrest and singled out Musk as a 'bad faith actor.' Musk had shared lists of protest locations on X, also posted by Robinson, and retweeted Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe's post saying 'Millions must go.' Turley told Times Radio: 'We have to acknowledge that social media is playing a role in driving this. There are bad-faith actors sitting many miles away, stoking things up.'
Protests Spread Beyond Belfast
The anti-immigration protests extended beyond Belfast, with demonstrations across Northern Ireland and the UK. In London, Robinson supporters gathered in Parliament Square to protest the killing of Henry Novak and the Belfast attack. Metro reporter Brooke Davies witnessed the scene escalate from 50 people waving Union Flags to aggressive far-right protesters setting off red smoke flares. Two women, Zahra Ali and Monday Rosenfeld, were swarmed by men claiming to 'protect our women and girls,' who threatened to drown and behead them.
The violence has drawn widespread condemnation, with calls for accountability for those who used social media to incite destruction. The incident highlights the dangerous intersection of online platforms and real-world violence, as authorities grapple with the spread of misinformation and hate speech.
