BBC Trending ignores antisemitic Tweets from featured selfie snapper

On May 18th BBC Trending published an article titled “Muslim woman’s cheeky selfie with anti-Islam group goes viral“.Trending art belgium

“When hijab-wearing Zakia Belkhiri saw members of a far-right anti-Islam group protesting outside an Islamic lifestyle event she was attending in Belgium she responded like a true Millennial.

The 22-year-old took out her phone and snapped a series of selfies with members of Vlaams Belang – a far-right nationalist group who some have described as “openly anti-Muslim”. […] 

Ms Belkhiri told BBC Trending that she took the photos “to show that things can be different. And that we can live together, not next to each other but with each other.” […]

She also added that she doesn’t think a selfie can be a form of protest; “this wasn’t a protest at all, this was just to share joy and peace.””

The article’s author seemed to be particularly captivated by the story, which was also promoted by additional media outlets.

Trending author belgium selfie

However, some social media users pointed out that Ms Belkhiri’s Twitter account included messaging (since deleted) rather less representative of “joy and peace” or coexistence.

Belgium selfie story Trending 2012 tweet

There has to date been no response from BBC Trending.

Update:

BBC Trending has now published a follow-up article titled  “Anti-Semitic statements of ‘joy and peace’ selfie star“.

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