SHARE
SHARE
Antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate incidents are surging, no doubt largely inspired by hateful online rhetoric on fringe platforms
Warning: This analysis contains highly offensive and potentially triggering language. Where possible, slur words are marked with asterisks, but in cases where that may make the content unclear, offensive language is cited.
In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) uncovered a nearly five-fold increase in antisemitic and anti-Muslim violent hate speech on the fringe and unregulated platforms 4chan, Gab, Bitchute, and Odysee. 4chan in particular is known for being used by several known violent terrorists. Since then, antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate incidents and crimes have surged, no doubt largely inspired by online rhetoric marginalizing communities. In a follow-up investigation of these online spaces, GPAHE has found a significantly higher new normal for online hatred.
4chan
On October 6th, right before the conflict began, we recorded 484 instances of extreme antisemitic hate speech on 4chan. This number increased more than four times to 2,626 instances on October 8th. While hate speech has since plateaued, over the course of 26 days, from October 11 to November 5, the average of daily antisemitic posts on the platform currently sits at a staggering 1,537 including a spike to 2,421 on October 18, the day that President Biden arrived in Israel. This reflects a 217 percent increase from before the attacks, showing just how much momentum extreme hate has gained on 4chan. Messages posted over the last month include hatred against Jews specifically, such as: “F off kike.. your the ones who are Condemned & Cursed by God himself.. but you jews keep lying to yourself, your hell bound.” Others may not be related to the ongoing conflict, and instead reflect the normalizing of neo-Nazi rhetoric, such as: “Looking for the Hitler didn’t kill jews. but should have meme. The one with the big brain transcendence (sic) them to it. Helping a friend redpill a retard.”
On October 6, there were 27 anti-Muslim posts on 4chan followed by 333 on October 8. Since then, the average daily number of anti-Muslim posts on the platform has stabilized at around 200, a 655 percent increase since before the war with intermittent spikes. Messages posted include: “Deport every sandni**er back to sandni**er land,” “the genocide of sandni**ers is to be praised,” and “TOTAL SANDNI**ER DEATH,” the latter being a reference to the violently racist “TND” (“Total N***** Death”), except targeted at Muslims or anyone living in predominantly Muslim countries.
Gab
Gab, a platform similar to Twitter, but known for its ties to Christian nationalism through its founder, Andrew Torba, is a popular site for both antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate. We initially recorded a 1,955 percent increase in antisemitism on the platform between October 6 (nine instances) and 8 (185 instances). Since then, there has been a daily average of 100 extreme antisemitic posts per day on the platform, demonstrating a 1,011 percent increase from October 6. Antisemitism manifested on the platform in a variety of ways, including claims that Jews are “demonic…twisted and vile.,” and claims that “Israel owns the fed (federal government).” The word “goyim,” used to describe non-Jews, is also commonly used as a rallying cry to other antisemites who believe in these conspiracy theories.
There were no anti-Muslim hateful posts and calls for violence meeting our analysis paremeters on October 6 with nine on October 8. In the month following, there has been an average of four anti-Muslim posts per day on the platform. Posts include claims that “America’s Colleges and Universities have turned into Muslim Terrorist Colleges and Universities that teach Muslim terrorism and to murder Jews and Christians,” calls for violence such as “Death to Arabs and Jews,” and one concerningly violent threat – “I will kill muslims as my forefathers did at the gates of hell.”
Bitchute
On October 6th we recorded 70 instances of extreme antisemitic hate speech on Bitchute. This number increased more than four times to 229 instances on October 8th. While hate speech has since plateaued, over the course of 26 days, from October 11 to November 5, the average number of antisemitic posts on the platform currently sits at 67, including intermittent spikes. Messages include: “The only good Ki*e is a dead one,” “Let the ki*es and muzzies kill each other,” and some messages spreading the conspiracy that Jews are secretly controlling the United States government, often referred to as ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government), saying “The U.S. Congress is deepthroating Ki*e sausage.”
We recorded three anti-Muslim posts on Bitchute on October 6, with it rising to five on October 8. Since then, the average number of posts remains at three, including intermittent spikes. Messages posted on Bitchute remain extreme, including the liberal use of slurs like “Those MUZZIE NUGGERS,” calling Muslims “dogs,” and some posts reflecting the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, such as “Britain is functionally an Islamic State” because “The Prime Ministers of England, Scotland and Ireland are all Ragheads[,] The Mayor of London is a raghead[, and] the majority of every major city in Britain is a raghead.”
Odysee
On the video platform Odysee, we recorded 25 antisemitic comments on October 6 and 74 on October 8. In the 26 days following, the average daily antisemitic comments made were 41, with intermittent spikes, reflecting a 64 percent increase from before the war. Antisemitic comments on videos included suggestions that “The jew is no different from the devil,” calls to “Kill Jews,” and calling Jews “satanic ki*e[s].”
Three anti-Muslim comments were recorded on October 6 and seven on October 8. Anti-Muslim hate did not remain consistently high on Odysee, with an average of one extreme comment every day since then and intermittent spikes. However, these comments were very hateful and violent in nature, including those which celebrated the deaths of Palestinians, such as calling the conflict the “nakba-geddon 2: muzzie boogaloo,” a reference to a common internet meme denoting a movie sequel. The term is also popular amongst racists because of the far-right accelerationist Boogaloo Movement in the United States.
