A Lebanese Tiktok account created as early as February 2020 has been suspended after social media users reported its racist content against migrant workers in the country.
This guy on tiktok can be seen throwing water at refugees. Foreign workers while theyre doing their jobs. And calling his videos “anti minority” @LebISF pic.twitter.com/afJ8wjRnFd
— Haitham ??/??. BDS (@mhdhaitham) June 7, 2020
The account nicknamed "elemenet19v2" and has a KKK costume profile picture, referring to the American white supremacy group Ku Klux Klan associated with lynching African Americans during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
and an KKK avatar this is undeniably the scum of the earth
— ⚛️.io (@champ8npapi) June 7, 2020
In six different videos, the user's voice can be heard mostly laughing at migrant workers as he passes by them and throws water at them.
THREAD #Lebanon - Tiktok account abusing & bullying migrant workers and refugees by showering them with water and ridiculing them on video.
— Luna Safwan - لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) June 7, 2020
This is #racism. These entities who are minorities in Lebanon need more protection not abuse.@LebISF pic.twitter.com/ElhRA5Y8rn
Several of his videos are captioned with anti-minority and anti-refugee sentiments, such as "Cleaning the minorities," "refugees are not welcome," and "me and the anti-minorities gang back at it."
Even though the account was suspended by Tiktok, Lebanese social media users took to Twitter to stand against his racist actions. Many commentators also mentioned the official account of Lebanese security forces calling on them to take action against him.
— Haitham ??/??. BDS (@mhdhaitham) June 7, 2020
A few hours later, Lebanese journalist Luna Safwan, who posted several of his videos reporting the act to official authorities, tweeted that one of the offender's cousins contacted her to say that "he's only 15 years old and was only trying to have fun while feeling bored."
1/ Few hours ago I tweeted about a Tiktok account in #Lebanon proudly throwing water at migrant workers and recording their reaction. I was contacted via Instagram by a family member of the person creating these videos. Not sure if this is an adult or the person itself: pic.twitter.com/r6cuUhYjaZ
— Luna Safwan - لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) June 7, 2020
The relative demanded Safwan "to not see racism in everything" especially that "not everything that concerns non-white people is racist." The message also added that "his actions were not illegal."
3/ I know you are reading this:
— Luna Safwan - لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) June 7, 2020
Most likely the ISF will not react to my tweets, but If your cousin was 15/17 or 25 - what he/she did is still morally unacceptable.
Let this be a lesson, the person driving the car should have known better.