Hate speech spreads online after video of migrant rescue at sea
via Business News4 min read
A video showing Tunisian sailors rescuing migrants in distress off Ben Guerdane, originally released in February 2026, has resurfaced on social media between May 6 and 7, 2026. The re-sharing of this video has led to a surge of harsh comments, with some internet users openly calling for the abandonment of people in danger, using phrases like "Let them drown" and "May they die." This uninhibited and brutal discourse, where individuals are dehumanized, highlights a growing normalization of xenophobic rhetoric in the Tunisian digital sphere. This phenomenon is linked to the climate established since February 2023, when President Kaïs Saïed spoke of a "criminal plan" to alter Tunisia's demographic composition through irregular sub-Saharan immigration. These statements caused a shockwave both in Tunisia and internationally, leading to accusations of stigmatization. Since then, the situation has intensified, with migrant aid associations facing scrutiny from authorities and public opinion, and human rights activists experiencing prosecutions, arrests, or detentions related to migration activities. The comments on the video appear to extend and amplify this rhetoric, overshadowing the fundamental principle that at sea, human lives in danger transcend nationality, skin color, or administrative status. While Tunisian sailors performed their duty to save lives, social media revealed a public and uninhibited display of hatred.
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