Minds consumed by fear, anxiety, and thoughts of retribution are easily captured by hate preachers and demagogues. The scenes unfolding in the UK—right-wing extremists burning businesses of small shop-owners, targeting mosques, and attacking innocent bystanders of color—are tragic repetitions of history.
What distinguishes the current situation is the dramatically enhanced tools available to extremists, amplifying their impact. Over the weekend, at least 30 violent protests erupted across the UK, largely fueled by misinformation spread on social media claiming that an illegal Muslim immigrant was responsible for killing three young girls and injuring several others.
An account called Europe Invasion, known to publish Islamophobic and anti-immigrant content, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the suspect was “alleged to be a Muslim immigrant”. The post was viewed more than six million times. And as the post was accruing views, crowds of far-right protesters were swelling in Southport, ready to charge local mosques.
The truth was that the attacker in Southport was identified by police as a 17-year-old, Axel Rudakubana, who was born in Britain, and that the attack was not terrorist-related. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Scapegoating during times of crisis
Countless similar incidents can be cited throughout history where minority groups have been targetted by hysterical crowds, falling prey to rumors, misinformation, and hate speech. During the Black Death in Europe in the 14th-century thousands of innocent people were killed for allegedly spreading the pestilence. Jews were blamed for poisoning drinking wells. The baseless accusations led to widespread violence and massacres against Jewish communities throughout Europe, including the Strasbourg massacre in 1349, where around 2,000 Jews were burned alive.
In 1779, anti-Catholic riots were incited by Lord George Gordon in London, spreading fears that the Papists Act of 1778 would lead to Catholic dominance. The resulting violence lasted several days, leading to widespread destruction, looting, and the deaths of around 300 people.
Social media platforms must bear responsibility
The difference is that misinformation in our age can spread globally within seconds, reaching millions of people. Social media platforms must bear responsibility for failing or unwilling to remove obviously false information. As we have seen in the latest riots in the UK, the consequences can be devastating.
During times of crisis, there is a need to seek simple answers to complex problems. Cognitive closure and confirmation bias make people dismiss facts and contradictory evidence. Scapegoating provides psychological relief and an outlet for fear, anger, and underlying grievance culture.
Exclusion of outsiders by Group and tribal-think
“Group” and “tribal-think” views all those outside the “tribe” as outsiders. During times of economic and social crises, the in-group/out-group dynamic becomes more pronounced, leading to the vilification of those perceived as different or threatening.
Responsible leadership and fact-checking journalism become more important than ever. Individuals and social media platforms should be made accountable on a global level for spreading hate and misinformation.
Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker
P.S. If you enjoyed this article you might be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.
ReinosBlog 