Elon Musk has taken legal action against German public broadcaster ZDF after a June 12 segment linked him to riots in Belfast, his lawyer told dpa. Attorney Joachim Steinhöfel issued a formal warning and requested a cease-and-desist declaration. The unrest followed a June 8 stabbing in which the victim lost an eye; the suspected Sudanese attacker faces attempted murder charges. ZDF later added a disclaimer saying its original phrasing was "imprecise and therefore misleading."
Elon Musk Takes Legal Action Against German Broadcaster Over ZDF Belfast Report
FILE PHOTO - Tech billionaire and Tesla founder Elon Musk arrives at a meeting with China's Premier Li Qiang. (is associated with: «Musk takes legal action against German report on Belfast riots») Johannes Neudecker/dpa
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has launched legal action after a German public broadcaster linked him to recent unrest in Belfast, his lawyer told dpa on Tuesday.
Attorney Joachim Steinhöfel confirmed to German daily Die Welt that he issued a formal warning (Abmahnung) to ZDF over a June 12 news segment about the Belfast disturbances. Steinhöfel said he has also asked the broadcaster to sign a cease-and-desist declaration on Musk's behalf.
The unrest followed a June 8 stabbing in Belfast in which the victim lost an eye. The suspected attacker, a Sudanese national, has been charged with attempted murder.
In the days after the attack, far-right activist Tommy Robinson posted a call for people to protest on the streets of Belfast. That post was subsequently shared by Elon Musk, according to reports.
In the introduction to its June 12 segment a ZDF presenter described footage of the assault and said:
"A racist mob is hunting down migrants. This was instigated by a British far-right extremist and tech billionaire Elon Musk."
ZDF has since appended a disclaimer beneath the clip, acknowledging that the original wording was "imprecise and therefore misleading." The broadcaster's amended note reads: "Tommy Robinson called for protests following the knife attack in Belfast. The post was shared by Elon Musk."
What Musk's Legal Move Means
Steinhöfel's warning signals that Musk is contesting the broadcaster's characterization that portrayed him as instigating the unrest. The legal step asks ZDF either to retract or to agree to a cease-and-desist declaration to prevent further publication of the contested phrasing.
Neither ZDF nor representatives for Musk provided further immediate comment beyond the statements reported by Die Welt and the broadcaster's amended note.
Key facts: the sequence of the stabbing, the social-media amplification by a far-right activist, Musk sharing that post, and ZDF's subsequent disclaimer are central to the dispute.
Help us improve.
