Trump Shares Far-Right Group's Anti-Muslim Videos

They came from Jayda Fransen, ultranationalist figure in Britain
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 29, 2017 9:00 AM CST
Trump Shares Far-Right Group's Anti-Muslim Videos
President Trump speaks at the White House on Nov. 15, 2017.   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

President Trump had a busy morning on Twitter Wednesday, and his decision to retweet three anti-Muslim videos is making headlines not only in the US but in the UK. That's because the videos originated with an ultranationalist political figure in Britain named Jayda Fransen. The videos, here, here, and here, have the titles of "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!," "Muslim Destroys a Statue of Virgin Mary!," and "Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!" The authenticity of the videos couldn't be verified, reports the Washington Post. Fransen, deputy chief of the far-right group Britain First, has a history of anti-Islamic statements. She was convicted last year of "religiously aggravated harassment" after shouting at a woman wearing a hijab in public, reports the Guardian.

In that 2016 incident, the 31-year-old Fransen said her comments, in which she said Muslim women had to wear hijabs because Muslim men couldn't restrain themselves, were not meant to be offensive, per the Independent. Fransen said she feared Muslim men "coming into my country raping women across the continent." Earlier this month, she was charged with making speeches using "threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behavior" in Belfast, reports the BBC. One of the videos retweeted by Trump was first shared by conservative Ann Coulter, and Fransen seemed thrilled with Wednesday's development. "Donald Trump himself has retweeted these videos and has around 44 million followers!" she tweeted, though in all caps. "God bless you Trump! God bless America!" (More President Trump stories.)

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