On July 29, a mass stabbing occurred at a children's party in Southport, Merseyside, about 10 miles north of Liverpool, U.K. The attack resulted in the deaths of several children and left others injured, according to British media.
Following the incident, misinformation about the attacker's identity and affiliations, who was later identified by police, spread rapidly on social media, particularly on platform X.
The perpetrator of the stabbing, Axel Rudakubana, is a 17-year-old born in Cardiff, Wales, to Rwandan parents.
From the moment the news broke until the following afternoon, riots and violence erupted on the streets of Britain. The situation was exacerbated by false narratives claiming "the killer is a young foreign Muslim," infused with anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric, which led to violent acts and property destruction.
In this article, Misbar analyzes the surge in hate speech against foreigners and Muslims following the incident, driven by the spread of misinformation in the U.K.
The War on Gaza and the Far Right in the United Kingdom
According to data from Tell MAMA, an organization that monitors hate crimes against Muslims in the U.K., there has been a staggering 335% increase in anti-Muslim hate incidents since October 7, 2023, with over 2,000 incidents recorded.
The report reveals that among the recorded incidents, 901 were physical attacks and 1,109 occurred online, with Muslim women being disproportionately targeted. The majority of incidents took place in London, which saw 576 cases, followed by the northwest of England and South Yorkshire. Aggressive behavior was the most common type of incident, accounting for 535 cases, with threats, assaults, and vandalism also prevalent. Notably, 65% of these hate incidents were directed at Muslim women.
The organization noted that those driving the anti-Muslim hate campaigns are far-right supporters in the U.K. who post inflammatory comments inciting hatred against Muslims, such as “go to hell with a Muslim state.”
Platform X has suspended several accounts, including one that posed a hateful question: “Who will win the upcoming civil war in the U.K.?” with options “British” or “Muslim.” This question prompted various responses from individuals expressing anti-Muslim sentiments, with some boasting about crusader imagery in their profiles and making racist and extremist comments about Muslim communities, as observed by Tell MAMA.
Emergence of Anti-Muslim Narratives Following Mass Stabbing
Soon after the incident, social media accounts began spreading false claims about the attacker’s identity, alleging he was a Muslim immigrant. The first post on the topic came from a user on Platform X, who shared a LinkedIn screenshot and claimed to be the father of two children who were at the party where the attack occurred.
This user alleged that the attacker was a "migrant" named "Ali al-Shakati." He added that the suspect was "on a security watchlist of the British domestic intelligence service (MI6)."
It was later revealed that this information was false because the agency responsible for domestic terrorism is MI5, not MI6. Additionally, the account owner falsely asserted that "the suspect, Ali, is known to mental health services in Liverpool and was an asylum seeker in the U.K."
Posts sharing this false claim received widespread interaction, reaching hundreds of thousands of users on X. Analysis revealed that the misinformation about the attacker’s name targeted a specific group, based on unchecked claims rather than official sources. Consequently, Muslims and immigrants became targets of hate speech and violence in the aftermath of the incident.
Delayed Release of Attacker’s Name Fuels Misinformation About His Affiliation
The day after the stabbing incident, police had yet to release the attacker’s identity. As the attacker was a 17-year-old minor under British law, his name could not be legally disclosed until the legal process was complete. This delay allowed false information and misleading news to spread. By 3 p.m. the following day, the incorrect name, Ali al-Shakati, attributed to the real attacker, Axel Rudakubana, had been mentioned approximately 30,000 times on X by over 20,000 accounts.
False claims also spread on TikTok, with calls for hate and violence. Search results on the app showed the phrase "arrest of Ali al-Shakati in Southport" as a popular suggestion due to extensive searches for the name.
Several media outlets published the misleading news, which was shared by multiple social media accounts, reaching millions of people.
Misinformation Incident Created Opportunity for Anti-Muslim Sentiment
Publishers of misleading news claimed that the alleged suspect, Ali al-Shakati, was of Muslim origin and had entered the U.K. on a small boat. This misleading narrative emphasized his status as an immigrant first and as a Muslim second. It suggested that his irregular arrival was linked to illegal actions such as crime and violence.
One post, which garnered over a million views, came from an account claiming that Europe is "under invasion," depicting Muslims and/or immigrants as savages and "invaders of Europe."
False Name Claims Most Widely Published on Platform X
Following the incident, the name "Ali al-Shakati" became a trending term in the U.K., suggested to users in the "What's happening" section.
Earlier, Laurence Fox, a user with over half a million followers on X, posted, "Enough of this madness now. We need to permanently remove Islam from Great Britain. Completely and entirely," using the false name of the attacker. His post garnered over 850,000 views on the platform by the first night after the incident.
Far-right factions in the U.K. exploited the context to organize protests the day after the attack. Their activities coincided with a peaceful vigil organized by the Southport Council, which eventually escalated into riots.
Misinformation Targets Immigrants and Minorities Intensively
Studies show that false news often targets immigrant and refugee communities, heightening hostility toward these groups and fostering increased prejudice and violence.
Moreover, research indicates that continuous exposure to hate speech online can diminish empathy for minorities and increase acceptance of extremist ideas, which can ultimately lead to violence against these groups. In some cases, online hate speech has been directly linked to violent attacks, as seen recently in the U.K., New Zealand, and the United States, where attackers relied on misleading ideas spread through social media platforms to justify their actions.
The British government is taking steps to combat hate speech against Muslims, but concerns persist about the prevalence of this issue and the effectiveness of current measures. In recent years, there has been a troubling increase in hate crimes, including those targeting Muslims in the U.K.
On the other hand, some political actors, such as the far right, exploit Islamophobia for political gain or to justify discriminatory policies, using tools to amplify hate speech, primarily through media misinformation.
Key Government Measures to Combat the Rise in Hate Speech
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the establishment of a new unit to tackle violent disturbances in England, following the escalation of unrest after the attack on families in Southport. He described the behavior as originating from a small, irrational segment of society and stressed the need to allow grieving families time to seek justice without court bias. Starmer also warned that disturbances driven by online misinformation constitute criminal acts and emphasized that the government will collaborate with social media companies to address the issue.
The government has invested in programs designed to combat extremist ideologies, including those targeting Muslims. These measures include hate crime legislation that protects individuals from discrimination and hate crimes based on religion, including Islamophobia. Additionally, ongoing community engagement efforts aim to connect with Muslim communities and address their concerns about discrimination and hate speech.
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