Report Says Elon Musk Posts Fueled Anti-Immigrant Unrest in Belfast

A new report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate says Elon Musk played a major role in amplifying inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric around recent riots in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The study, titled "The Owner Amplifier," says posts by Musk on X generated about 64 million views tied to the unrest, more than the total reach of prominent British far-right figures. Researchers also identified nearly 4,000 replies containing calls for violence, including hundreds posted directly under Musk's own messages.

The riots in north Belfast broke out after videos spread online showing a severe stabbing on June 8. The victim, Stephen Oglivie, was badly wounded and lost his left eye. The suspect, Hadi Alodidi, a Sudanese citizen, has been charged with attempted murder. Afterward, masked protesters took to the streets, set fire to vehicles and buildings, and clashed violently with police, who used water cannons to regain control.

Musk rejected the criticism and argued that public anger stemmed from migrant violence rather than from social media activity. He also shared posts attacking British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and amplified messages calling for the mass deportation of migrants.

Britain's communications regulator, Ofcom, responded by saying X will be placed under a special monitoring program to examine how it handles illegal content and incitement. The controversy came as SpaceX was simultaneously listed on Nasdaq, raising about $75 billion and valuing the company at roughly $1.77 trillion. According to Forbes estimates, that made Musk the first person whose wealth crossed $1 trillion.