A controversial video published on X by Bavaria’s interior ministry, which has now been deleted, has sparked widespread condemnation for its Islamophobic content and comparisons to Nazi-era propaganda.
The video was posted hours after two far-right parties had won regional state elections for the first time since the Nazis.
The video, which purportedly aimed to raise awareness about the Islamic Salafi movement, featured a cartoon depicting a Muslim woman who is shown watching an explainer video on whether Muslim women are permitted to wear makeup.
As the video progresses, the woman is depicted being swallowed by a bearded maniacally laughing figure wearing a skull cap, an item of headgear associated with some Muslims. The imagery apreared as a metaphor for her being drawn into radicalisation.
The video concludes with the warning, “The Salafism trap happens faster than you think,” referring to the Salafi
The post also included a link to the ministry’s website, which offers information on how to prevent radical Islamic Salafi Movement.
The video quickly drew backlash, with many expressing concerns over its potentially harmful messaging and Islamophobic undertones. A former parliamentarian denounced the video, referring to it as “racist garbage.”
A recent report commissioned by Germany’s interior ministry highlights the widespread discrimination, hostility, and occasional violence that Muslims frequently encounter in their daily lives across the country.
The report notes that even Muslims born in Germany are often regarded as “outsiders,” while Islam is commonly viewed as a “regressive religion.”
Muslim women wearing traditional headscarves were found to experience especially severe forms of animosity, according to the findings.
