Great Replacement theory spread in France, francophone Belgium and Greece, whilst anti-Muslim narratives are published in Hungary and antisemitism is shared in Poland and the UK.
In April’s media monitoring we saw the spread of the Great Replacement narrative in an article published by Belgian extreme-right political party whilst a Greek portal spread anti-Muslim tropes. In France, far right activist and former spokesperson of Generation Identity incited a reconquest against Muslims in France. In the UK, a Labour MP minimised the racism experienced by Jews, calling it prejudice, whilst in Poland, far right online TV Wrealu24 keeps spreading vile antisemitism in its channel. In a Flemish portal, an article spread anti-Muslim rhetoric and misinformation whilst a Hungarian pro-government portal published an anti-Muslim article.
Belgium – Flemish news site publishes article falsely spreading anti-migrant rhetoric.
A recent article published on the news platform doorbraakcontained misleading information regarding the growing ‘pressure’ of immigration on the labour market and healthcare system.
The article contained numerous false statements and claims regarding the ‘pressure’ of the migrant community and the idea that countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium are focusing resources on migrants coming to the country at the expense of local communities. Research carried out by an official Dutch agency found that - though the sentiment is commonly felt - there is not much evidence to support the claim of ‘growing’ migration pressure and migrants taking jobs away from ‘natives’.
Concurrently, there is no research indicating that immigration strains the healthcare sector. More often than not, the worsening quality of healthcare provision is attributed to an aging population and, in this light, immigration can be a positive factor.
In this article, the appeal to public concerns over the labour market and healthcare system is a means of legitimizing the culture war the right wages on the Muslim communities. It seeks to prove that ‘common Orthodox Islam’ is a threat to society and does so based on misleading claims. Rhetoric and prejudice like these can only serve to spread hate and promote division in society along ethnic and religious grounds.
France – Former Generation Identity spokesperson uses Spain’s history to incite a “reconquest” against Muslims in France
Thais d’Escufon is a French-far right activist and former spokesperson of the political party ‘Generation Identitaire’, which was dissolved in 2021.
On Easter Sunday, a video was uploaded on YouTube where d’Escufon gave a biased history on Al-Andalus – the former Islamic states of today’s modern Spain and Portugal. In the video, d’Escufon used both racism and nationalism to present the Spanish knights as true idealistic heroes and inspiring models in the fight against the Muslim occupation of the time.
Between the exaggerations and lies, d’Escufon also invited her audience and supporters to think like a conqueror as a means of leading them into reconquest. This was presented in the form of a counterattack against migration in France, in particular migrants from the Muslim community. The video is masked as a ‘tour’ where d’Escufon walks around the city and praises the heroes of the past, pretending to teach a history lesson whilst the underlying message is extremely problematic.
The narrative of reconquest spread by d’Escufon can be seen as form of incitement to violence to ‘reconquest’ France. Comparing history and using the Great Replacement and repatriation narrative only promotes anti-Muslim rhetoric and division in society through the spread of harmful lies and misinformation.
Poland – National TV show spreads the antisemitic conspiracy narrative of the ‘blood libel’
Wrealu24, Polish far-right online TV recently posted a video on their channel where Grzegorz Braun - Polish far-right politician and journalist - is seen to present the Ukro-Polin conspiracy theory as a current threat to Poland.
This conspiracy rests upon the notion that there is a threat of Ukrainian and Jewish domination of Poland - Polin being the name of Poland in Hebrew and one which is often used by antisemites. This theory is widely circulated by the far-right in context of the large influx of Ukrainian refugees in Poland since February 2022, as documented by the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association reports. Furthermore, Braun also warns against an expected inter-state agreement between Poland and Ukraine, suggesting that a secret document would be presented which would be against the interest of the Polish nation.
It should be noted that because of the interventions by the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association, Wrealu24 has been removed from YouTube resulting in the channel establishing its own platform for publishing far-right videos such as this one which spreads antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy narratives.
Belgium – NATION: Extreme far-right party keeps spreading the Great Replacement theory.
The Belgian extreme-right political party NATION published on April 16 the anti-Muslim article Immigration Non-stop!
Spreading misinformation and lies, this article is fuelled with anti-religious tropes and uses sarcastic and anti-Muslim language accusing immigration of being a threat to Belgian society. In this opinion piece, the writer mentioned that people don’t need to visit a travel agency to feel that they are out of the country. He said: ‘the mosques are blooming like tulips in the spring. Well, there are more mosques than tulips’.
The writer also contrasts the Catholic religion to Islam, criticising that Arabic countries wouldn’t allow the same liberty in building churches in their countries that Europe has for the construction of mosques. This article spreads the Great Replacement narrative, generalising and accusing immigrants from Muslim countries of “invading” Belgium and taking advantage of the welfare system.
NATION uses immigration as political propaganda: they protect their national identity from extinction, claiming they are not racists but their words ‘are a form of self-defence’. This narrative is dangerous as it not only vilifies migrants but also incites hate speech and violence against minority groups.
Greece – News website spreads Great Replacement theory and anti-Muslim tropes.
The news website Defence Point published an anti-Muslim article titled, Greece is NOT in the safe zone, with thousands of Muslims inside. Not only does the article spread the Great Replacement theory, but it wrongly frames terrorism as something ineludible for Muslims.
The writer reported the arrest of suspects from Pakistan over an attack to a synagogue in collaboration with 'compatriots from Iran' that followed instructions of an international 'mastermind' that recruited and guided Muslims to destroy the West.
This biased report fails to provide reliable sources to back up the serious accusations against the suspects but makes generalisations and uses fearmongering to create a sense of ‘danger’ of the possibility of a large migrant influx.
The article claims that although most immigrants in the West will not be and refuse to be swayed by terrorist networks from the East “a few thousand will be enough to cause serious sabotage and panic inside the Western democracies”.
This article is dangerous not only for spreading lies and the Great Replacement theory but also it causes moral panic, which causes fear and incites hate speech and violence against Muslim communities.
UK – Labour MP downplays racism experienced by Jews
On 23 April 23, the Observer published a letter by Labour Party MP Diane Abbott in response to an opinion piece by Tomiwa Owolade a few days earlier.
Diane Abbott, known for being the first Black female MP in the political history of the UK, was widely condemned in the media for claiming that Jewish, Irish people and Travellers face prejudice, rather than racism. She compared the prejudice experienced by them to the prejudice experienced by people with red hair.
The politician explained that the letter was a draft sent by mistake and immediately apologised. However, despite her repentance, the Leadership of the Labour Party immediately suspended her, and an investigation was launched. According to a study conducted by Amnesty International, Diane Abbott was the most targeted MP to experience misogynoir, receiving the most hatred, sexist and racist abuse in the run up to the 2017 UK general election. Although this is not to excuse the comments of Diane Abbott, it does serve to highlight the extremely negative and hateful media coverage she has received over the years.
Comparing other diverse communities' experiences of racism is problematic as it undermines their traumatic experiences and causes division within marginalised groups. There should be no competition, but rather solidarity in the fight against racism and hatred. Read our Dig Deeper here.
Hungary – Pro-government media outlet publishes an anti-Muslim article about Nigerian migrant.
On April 21, the pro-Government Hungarian daily news website Magyar Nemzet published an article titled, ‘Residents in Józsefváros complain about migrants occupying cellars’.
The article reported the story of a Nigerian migrant who moved to the basement of a house on Szentkirályi Street, giving voice to the racist complaints of the neighbours and landord. A resident said: ‘He asked for extraordinary cleaning every day because in the morning it will be unbearably smelly in the stairwell’. Besides the offensive language in blaming the migrant for the foul stench in the building, the writer uses a xenophobic angle to question his migration status in the country and his financial situation accusing him of lying when he mentioned that he attended Semmelweis University.
The writer uses this story as a political propaganda tool to criticize the left-wing mayor András Pikó’s mandate for allowing homeless people to live in cars and stairwells and praises the previous Fidesz leadership for being strict with migrants.
This article is problematic as it shows explicit anti-migrant rhetoric, vilifying migrants as people who do not belong. Moreover, it also causes moral panic and widespread fear in society.
