Anti-Muslim rhetoric spread in Greece, France, Hungary, and Belgium. Antisemitic narratives spread in Poland and the UK and extremist right-wing ideology disseminated in Germany
In January’s media monitoring, we saw anti-Muslim narratives published in a Greek media outlet, a conservative TV channel in France spread anti-Muslim rhetoric, and a far-right online TV/YouTube channel broadcast antisemitic narratives in Poland. In Belgium, a far-right blog used the recent attacks in Spain to promote anti-Muslim sentiments whilst a Flemish portal spread Great Replacement narratives. In Hungary, a public state media disseminated two anti-Muslim stories whilst in Germany, a YouTube channel shared neo-Nazi ideology. In the UK, a news platform published an antisemitic article during Holocaust Memorial Week.
Greece – News platform spreads conspiracy narratives on the extinction of Christianity in the country
An article titled ‘Christianity under prosecution’ on newsbreak.gr spread the dangerous sentiment of the extinction of Christianity and the conspiratorial rhetoric of the Great Replacement.
When discussing the celebration of Christmas by Christians, the author argues that the ‘rapidly growing Muslim community have already shown us their humanity through terrorist attacks’. Making a statement as such is both extremely hateful and problematic and only serves to instil fear and anti-Muslim sentiments on the grounds of discrimination.
The author proceeds to argue that the most extremist religion is that of ‘humanism’ in the West, presenting it as a “new form of Inquisition on anyone who dares to criticise multiculturalism (and therefore Islam)” which according to the author is “the same one that triggers the extinction of Christianity.” Arguing that those who accept religious pluralism and diversity are those who are threatening the extinction of Christianity is extremely problematic.
Narratives like these only serve as fear mongering to drive the idea that Christianity is under prosecution, which is firstly false, and secondly, only serves to promote anti-Muslim rhetoric within society.
France – CNews TV channel commentator claims Muslims don’t know what the French republic is
In a TV show broadcast on CNews – a French conservative TV channel – a famous commentator by the name of Jean-Claude Dassier spread hateful, anti-Muslim remarks.
When discussing juvenile delinquency and violence, the commentator said that “Muslims don’t care about the Republic, they don’t even know what that word means!” With this comment, Dassier was insinuating that Muslims are not well integrated in the French Republic as they don’t even know what the Republic means. This suggests that their values do not fall in line with that of the Republic. Spreading false ideas like these only serve to demonise and marginalise the Muslim community by creating divisions within society.
Throughout the discussion, the journalist on the show did not once step in to challenge or react to these problematic statements. After being broadcast on Twitter and reaching a large viewership and backlash, CNews expressed their desire to remove any association with the commentator’s remarks.
This is not the first time that such hateful rhetoric has been spread on this show as CNews frequently invites guests who spread problematic sentiments which go unchallenged.
Poland – Far-right online TV/YouTube channel spreads antisemitic narratives
Media Narodowe is a far-right online TV/YouTube channel owned by the Independence March Association, subsidised by the Ministry of Culture.
This month, host Jan Bodakowski mocked the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, claiming that it is a “homophobic holiday, because they worship Jews who overthrew the Greek dictatorship, which imposed, among other things, the rainbow revolution”. He went on to add that one must remember this when “criticising everyone who burns Hannukah candles, that this is a very nationalistic and homophobic holiday”.
Moreover, in a proceeding interview broadcast on Media Narodowe, Jan Bodakowski and his guest Marek Skalski disseminated the antisemitic content of the myth about Zydokomuna (Judeo-Communism – a false stereotype blaming the Jews for importing communism to Poland). Bodakowski spread a stream of antisemitic and hateful, accusatory rhetoric surrounding the position of Jews during WWII and in communist Poland.
Media Narodowe frequently disseminates hateful, antisemitic content with little consequence. The ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association has published a report highlighting the numerous examples of antisemitic content alongside anti-Ukrainian conspiracy theories and hate speech propagated by Media Narodowe between 2021-2023. This was also picked up and published by other media including Gazeta Wyborcza and The Algemeiner . Following the publication of the report by the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association, the YouTube channel Media Narodowe has been removed from the platform.
Belgium – Far right blog exploits attacks in Spain to spread anti-Muslim hatred
In the far-right blog nation.be, an article was published which used the recent anti-Christian attacks in Spain as a scapegoat to spread anti-Muslim lies, hatred, disinformation, and incitement to violence.
The article misuses this recent incident as a warning and proof of the ‘chaos’ that Europe is experiencing which, according to them, includes a rise in attacks such as rape, murder, theft, gang activity, anti-Christian attacks, and an increasing stay of illegal migrants.
The entire article cherry picks facts, poses rhetorical questions and calls on readers to support their movement. At the end of the article, a photo is attached depicting two knifes covered in blood, with the caption ‘New Islamist attack in Spain’ and the words ‘New achievement on living together’.
By weaponising the recent events in Spain, this article seeks to spread anti-Muslim rhetoric and create dangerous narratives which only seek to instil hatred, fear, and discrimination. Incidents like these should not provide grounds for furthering political agendas or spreading anti-Muslim hate.
Germany – YouTube channel spreads neo-Nazi ideology
BeastKitchen, a German casual cooking YouTube channel, broadcast a racist and anti-Muslim episode titled MIGRANT meets NEO-NAZI.
The show's format was an interview between a militant neo-Nazi and a YouTuber from a Lebanese background while eating in a restaurant. During the informal discussion, the neo-Nazi spreads the far-right ideology that 'migrants do not fit into German culture'. He demanded the deportation of all migrants, including the YouTuber, sharing hateful sentiments that Muslims and people of colour are unwelcome in German society.
The neo-Nazi explicitly expressed his racist views regarding otherness and multiculturalism. He talked about how hardly any "natives" can be seen. More than that, he used white supremacist rhetoric to spread stereotypical tropes claiming that almost all migrant youths are criminals and classified interracial and intercultural children as ‘abnormal’.
Although the episode was in a non-political format, it gave space to the dangerous narrative and propaganda that ethnic minorities should 'vanish' from German territory.
Hungary – Public state media reports irrelevant international anti-Muslim news
Hirado.hu, the online portal of the Hungarian public service media, published two anti-Muslim articles irrelevant to the context of Hungarian Society.
On 6 January 2023, the media outlet published the article: "The Danish parish priest was forbidden to ring the bell because it could disturb members of the Muslim community."
On 19 January 2023, it published another article with the headline: "The Muslim school borrowed millions from the Swedish state for its phantom students."
Both articles reported stereotypical anti-Muslim views within the Danish and Swedish contexts. Hirado.hu’s decision to publish these provocative headlines is highly problematic.
Moreover, this example of reporting creates unnecessary ‘moral panic’. Spreading sensationalistic sentiments can cause public anxiety as it not only vilifies the Muslim community but also emphasises the stereotypical narrative that Muslim migrants ‘exploit public funds’ and are problematic compared to other religions.
Having in mind that Hirado.hu is a governmental media portal funded by public money, it should be responsible for delivering accurate and impartial stories that are relevant to Hungarian audiences.
Belgium – News website spreads Great Replacement conspiracy narrative
PAL NWS, a Flemish nationalist conservative news website, published on 5 January 2023 an Islamophobic interview given by the politician Sam van Rooy titled: "Our society is becoming less free due to the massive Muslim immigration".
During the interview, the Vlaams Belang politician spread the Great Replacement narrative claiming that West European cities are at high risk of Islamification, becoming completely ‘no-go zones’.
He uses defamatory language calling migrants ‘gangs' and 'terrorists', making stereotypical comparisons that Eastern European countries do not attract Muslim communities. He said: 'There are no drill rap gangs in Poland'. More than that, he attacks the Islamic faith spreading misinformation and lies, calling Islam 'fascist at its core' and a religion of 'submission’.
The news website strategically invites far-right politicians to spread anti-migration propaganda. This biased exposure is dangerous as it enables hate speech against the Muslim community and fails to offer balanced reporting with trustworthy sources.
UK – the Economist publishes antisemitic article during Holocaust Memorial week
During the Holocaust Memorial week, the Economist published an antisemitic article titled:” How Goldman Sachs went from apex predator to Wall Street laggard”.
Once again, this media outlet decided to illustrate an article promoting antisemitic images, demonstrating disrespectful views towards the Jewish community. This article attacks the American multinational investment bank Goldman Sachs and uses the image of a squid taking over Wall Street under the headline “Vampire Squid”, illustrating the stereotypical old trope that Jewish people are greedy and wealthy individuals that want to control the world’s economy.
The writer repeated a quote published in the Rolling Stones magazine: “Goldman Sachs as a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.”
This article is problematic; it not only spreads the greediness myth that Jewish communities control the world’s finances, but also demonstrates a lack of empathy and solidarity for the Jewish community commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks the genocide of millions of innocent Jews who were killed by the Nazis.
