Misinformation Goes Viral About Death Toll in France’s Guadeloupe Crash

Media outlets and X accounts spread false claims that a car rammed into a Christmas crowd in Sainte-Anne, Guadeloupe, killing 10 people and injuring dozens. Some accounts exploited the incident to blame Muslims, using the incident to spread Islamophobia.

Media Outlets and X Accounts Spread Fake Death Toll in Guadeloupe Crash

A crash accident struck Sainte-Anne, France, on Friday evening as families gathered in Schoelcher Square near the town hall and church to launch the Christmas festivities. 

Media outlets amplified misinformation, falsely claiming the crash left ten people dead and dozens injured. Several publications, including The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, and Disha Bytes, circulated the claim with catchy headlines to elicit attention.

The claim spread rapidly across social media. X owner Elon Musk reposted far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who claimed that “10 dead as a car is driven into a Christmas market preparation crowd in France’s Guadeloupe,” and accused mainstream media of remaining silent. The claim amassed 33 million views.

An Israeli account known for spreading hate speech shared footage of the crash site and repeated the unfounded claim of “10 murdered,” which triggered commentators to blame Muslims for the incident. Another user wrote, “We know who it is, we don’t need to be told! Muslims did this! And the church is silent! I tell God on you!”

Guadeloupe Police Says Crash Incident Left 19 Injured

Renowned media outlets Le Parisien and Libération, citing AFP, reported that a car crashed into a food truck in the tourist town of Sainte-Anne, Guadeloupe, on Friday evening, injuring 19 pedestrians, including seven children, according to the sub-prefect of Pointe-à-Pitre. The information confirmed earlier reporting from the local news outlet, RCI Guadeloupe.

Sub-Prefect Jean-François Moniotte told AFP that three people, including a 10-year-old boy, were in critical condition. Police placed the driver in custody after he tested positive for alcohol and cannabis.

Moniotte said the accident occurred around 7:45 p.m. in downtown Sainte-Anne, in the eastern part of Grande-Terre.

The group struck by the vehicle had been buying food from a nearby food truck, located about twenty meters from the square, according to reports.

The sub-prefect said the 45-year-old driver was under the influence of alcohol and cannabis. A source close to the investigation reported that bystanders nearly lynched the suspect, forcing responders to extract him from the scene for his safety.

Authorities activated a crisis unit and triggered the NOVI (Mass Casualty) plan. “More than 40 firefighters, seven ambulances, at least twenty gendarmes, and the emergency medical service” were deployed, the sub-prefect added.

Although trolls blamed Muslims for the incident, authorities stressed that the cause of the accident has not yet been conclusively determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

EU Fines Elon Musk’s X €120m for Misleading Users

The European Union fined Elon Musk’s platform X €120m (£105m) for misleading users through its paid blue-tick system.

Regulators stated that the platform “deceives users” by selling verification badges without verifying account identities. They argued that this practice exposes the public to impersonation scams and other forms of manipulation.

The decision triggered backlash in the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission accused the E.U. of targeting and censoring American tech firms. 

Rubio wrote on X that the fine “isn’t just an attack on X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people,” adding that “the days of censoring Americans online are over.” Musk reposted Rubio’s comments with the reply, “absolutely.”

On Saturday, Musk escalated his criticism of the E.U., saying the European Union should be “abolished” and replaced by fully sovereign national governments to ensure better representation.

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