German public broadcaster ZDF has removed a segment of its news programme that implied tech billionaire Elon Musk had called for migrants to be hunted following a knife‑attack in Belfast. The edited portion, once broadcast in the live edition of ZDFheute Live titled "How Musk is fuelling the protests," was described as "misleading" by the station.
Musk, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, has taken legal action against ZDF and a German law firm has issued a cease‑and‑desist statement demanding the broadcaster remove the passage. In response, ZDF issued a correction, stating the wording was imprecise and misleading, and provided a transparency notice.
The original report claimed that a far‑right activist’s shared post on Musk’s social media platform X—advertising a protest following the Belfast incident— was linked to Musk himself. Musk denies any such statement, arguing that the narrative about migrants is a lie and that real tensions arise from alleged criminal actions by migrants.
The knife attack in north Belfast has led to arrests, including a Sudanese man charged with attempted murder, and sparked widespread unrest culminating in fires.
Experts note that social media amplification can exacerbate flare‑ups in volatile settings, and the UK Ministry of Justice has called for careful attention to the role of digital platforms in fueling violence. Musk’s public defense and claims that the anger stems from migrant actions highlight the clash between political rhetoric and media accountability.
For further context, see the BBC articles "What we know about Belfast attack and disorder" and "Nowak killer’s sentence to be reviewed".
