Elon Musk under fire for stoking ‘racist thuggery’ in Belfast

LONDON — The condemnation over anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland was being matched by another growing outrage in Britain on Thursday: that the world’s richest man was inciting the violence.

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A second night of unrest on the streets of Belfast saw masked men once again torch houses and vehicles in a hunt for anyone they believed to be an immigrant. A government minister labeled the violence “racist thuggery.”

The rioters say they are motivated by the stabbing of a local man, Stephen Ogilvie, who lost one eye in the knife attack that also caused deep wounds to his face and neck. Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, but did not enter a plea when he appeared in court Wednesday.

Graphic video of the attack spread quickly and widely on social media.

Ogilvie’s family have implored people not to use the attack for political gain or violence, while stressing the “valuable contribution” that migrants make to society.

Many politicians, public figures and general citizens have repudiated the riots, but perhaps just as vehement has been the anger against Elon Musk for supporting them.

Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO, has long used his social media platform X to promote far-right figures globally and their anti-immigration views.

On Wednesday, he hit back at those accusing him of spreading hatred and fueling the Northern Ireland rioters.

“Murderous migrants beheading innocent people in their home town is what’s making people angry, not ‘social media’!” he wrote.

Musk also reposted other messages claiming that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer “hates white people,” and another sharing an image of the alleged killer, who is Black, alongside the caption declaring “millions must go.”

It is not the first time that Musk has used his 240 million-follower platform to wade into British and European politics and denounce the continent’s immigration policies.

Not all politicians are against him: Musk has taken to supporting Restore Britain, a breakaway political party from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK who felt its immigration policies were not draconian enough. Musk also regularly promotes Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist and convicted fraudster who has served five jail terms, someone previously considered a fringe figure.

“It’s appalling,” Labour Party Chair Anna Turley said of Musk’s interventions, speaking to Britain’s LBC radio station Thursday. “Anyone that is seeking to drive and exploit a situation like this to drive their own political agenda is grievously wrong and doing damage. We’ve seen children, families having to flee their homes on the streets of Belfast last night.”

Michelle O’Neill, the first minister of Northern Ireland, had earlier condemned “the Elon Musks of this world,” who she said “are sitting right comfy in their homes, orchestrating hate and tension.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not name Musk but called out “those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.” He also criticized people “trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets.”

As for the riots themselves, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn called it nothing short of “racist thuggery” in an interview with Britain's Sky News.

Police have not revealed a motive for the attack but said it’s not believed to be terrorism.

Alodid did not enter a plea during a court appearance Wednesday and was ordered held until his next hearing.

NBC News has reached out to Tesla and SpaceX for comment.