Elon Musk slammed for ‘engaging with antisemitic campaign’ by Anti-Defamation League

Jewish civil rights group the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has hit out at Elon Musk, describing the X/Twitter owner’s threat to sue it as an “antisemitic campaign”.

Elon Musk threatened to sue the nonprofit earlier this week after accusing it of trying to “kill” his social media platform. Musk came under fire this week for liking posts with the hashtag “BanTheADL”.

Jonathan Greenblatt, the nonprofit’s chief executive, said in response that it is “profoundly disturbing” that Musk is “engaging with a highly toxic, antisemitic campaign”.

Controversial figures including “white nationalist Nick Fuentes, Christian nationalist Andrew Torba, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others” are also pushing the hashtag, said Greenblatt.

“We saw the campaign manifest in the real world when masked men marched in Florida on Saturday, brazenly waving flags adorned with swastikas and chanting ‘Ban the ADL’.”

The antisemitic campaign gained momentum on X after the ADL took part in a march commemorating the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” civil rights speech.

Musk, who is the former world’s richest man, said X’s US advertising revenue is down 60 per cent.

He alleged that “based on what we’ve heard from advertisers, ADL seems to be responsible for most of our revenue loss”.

However, the ADL’s criticisms of X were based on statistics which suggest a rise in hate speech on the platform since Musk took over.

Late last year, research given to the New York Times suggested there has been a sharp a rise in hate speech on the platform.

And in June, a survey by LGBT+ group GLAAD found that 60 per cent of respondents reported an increase in abuse and hate speech since Musk bought it.

“To be clear, the real issue is neither ADL nor the threat of a frivolous lawsuit,” Greenblatt said. “This urgent matter is the safety of the Jewish people in the face of increasing, intensifying antisemitism.

“Musk is engaging with and elevating these antisemites at a time when ADL is tracking a surge of bomb threats and swatting attacks of synagogues and Jewish institutions, dramatic levels of antisemitic propaganda being littered throughout Jewish and non-Jewish residential communities and extremists marching openly through the streets in Nazi gear.

“This behaviour [from Elon Musk] is not just alarming nor reckless. It is flat-out dangerous and deeply irresponsible.

“We need responsible leaders to lead, to stop inflaming hatred and to step back from the brink before it’s too late.”

Twitter/X did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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