The witchcraft hoax about migrant boats stoking hatred
A video with CapCut AI watermarks claims that migrants kill women on boats over witchcraft. Some link it to tribal beliefs, others deny it.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Canary Islands: the migrant boat hoax fuelling anti-immigration rhetoric
Is it true that sub-Saharan migrants kill the women travelling with them on the boats because they consider them witches? A viral video, which according to one user contains watermarks from AI editing tools, has once again brought to the fore a debate mixing superstition, racism and disinformation. The clip, shared on social media, shows alleged migrants justifying crimes on grounds of witchcraft, a narrative that one participant says he recognises from his readings of African anthropology as part of beliefs rooted in some tribal societies, but which in no case justifies incivil an entire group.
The hoax spreading like wildfire
The video, which according to one user contains watermarks from AI editing tools, has been shared on social media. In it, several men of sub-Saharan origin claim that women travelling on the dinghies are killed for being witches. The recording has not been verified by any independent outlet and shows technical inconsistencies that, according to that user, point to manipulation. Even so, it has served to inflame a narrative that has been entrenched in certain circles for years: that irregular immigration is a direct threat to Western security and customs.
What anthropology says about witchcraft in Africa
Beyond the hoax, one participant argues that in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa belief in witchcraft is deeply rooted and can lead to violence. The anthropological literature records cases of accusations ending in lynchings or expulsions. However, attributing these practices to all migrants arriving in the Canary Islands is a generalisation as crude as it is dangerous. Most people crossing the Atlantic are fleeing conflict, poverty or persecution, not some supposed coven on board.
The women who never board the boats
One of the arguments repeated most often in the debate is the scarcity of women on the dinghies. One participant states that the proportion of women on the Canary Islands route is very low, around 10-15%. The reasons are multiple: the cost of the journey, its dangers, gender roles in their societies of origin and the very selection made by the smuggling networks. Reducing this reality to an alleged ritual femicide is a simplification that ignores far more prosaic economic and social factors.
From superstition to hate speech
The video has become ammunition for those who have long been calling for a crackdown on immigration. On forums and social media, messages mixing the hoax with conspiracy theories about an alleged plan to replace the European population have multiplied. Some have even called for the death penalty for migrants. This is a drift that, beyond the anecdote, reflects a real social tension: the difficulty of managing migration flows and the political exploitation of antiestéticar.
The role of NGOs and the institutional response
Meanwhile, the debate includes complaints that this kind of hoax hampers the work of organisations operating in the Canary Islands and endangers migrants. There is no evidence in the material that the Canary Islands government has called for caution, nor that the public prosecutor's office has peine or ruled out an investigation into the matter.
What the video doesn't tell you
The original footage, if it exists, has never been shown in full. The clips circulating are edited and taken out of context. The CapCut AI watermark in one corner is, according to one user, the clearest proof that something doesn't add up. Those who have tried to trace the original source run into paywalls, dead links and anonymous accounts. It is the usual modus operandi of disinformation: create a striking piece, spread it without verification and let hatred do the rest.
In the end, the boat-and-witches hoax is merely a symptom of something deeper. Irregular immigration is a complex phenomenon that demands serious responses, not virtual lynchings. While some amuse themselves spreading lies, others keep risking their lives at sea. And so, meme after meme, reality drowns.
Is it true that sub-Saharan migrants kill the women travelling with them on the boats because they consider them witches? A viral video, which according to one user contains watermarks from AI editing tools, has once again brought to the fore a debate mixing superstition, racism and disinformation. The clip, shared on social media, shows alleged migrants justifying crimes on grounds of witchcraft, a narrative that one participant says he recognises from his readings of African anthropology as part of beliefs rooted in some tribal societies, but which in no case justifies incivil an entire group.
The hoax spreading like wildfire
The video, which according to one user contains watermarks from AI editing tools, has been shared on social media. In it, several men of sub-Saharan origin claim that women travelling on the dinghies are killed for being witches. The recording has not been verified by any independent outlet and shows technical inconsistencies that, according to that user, point to manipulation. Even so, it has served to inflame a narrative that has been entrenched in certain circles for years: that irregular immigration is a direct threat to Western security and customs.
What anthropology says about witchcraft in Africa
Beyond the hoax, one participant argues that in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa belief in witchcraft is deeply rooted and can lead to violence. The anthropological literature records cases of accusations ending in lynchings or expulsions. However, attributing these practices to all migrants arriving in the Canary Islands is a generalisation as crude as it is dangerous. Most people crossing the Atlantic are fleeing conflict, poverty or persecution, not some supposed coven on board.
The women who never board the boats
One of the arguments repeated most often in the debate is the scarcity of women on the dinghies. One participant states that the proportion of women on the Canary Islands route is very low, around 10-15%. The reasons are multiple: the cost of the journey, its dangers, gender roles in their societies of origin and the very selection made by the smuggling networks. Reducing this reality to an alleged ritual femicide is a simplification that ignores far more prosaic economic and social factors.
From superstition to hate speech
The video has become ammunition for those who have long been calling for a crackdown on immigration. On forums and social media, messages mixing the hoax with conspiracy theories about an alleged plan to replace the European population have multiplied. Some have even called for the death penalty for migrants. This is a drift that, beyond the anecdote, reflects a real social tension: the difficulty of managing migration flows and the political exploitation of antiestéticar.
The role of NGOs and the institutional response
Meanwhile, the debate includes complaints that this kind of hoax hampers the work of organisations operating in the Canary Islands and endangers migrants. There is no evidence in the material that the Canary Islands government has called for caution, nor that the public prosecutor's office has peine or ruled out an investigation into the matter.
What the video doesn't tell you
The original footage, if it exists, has never been shown in full. The clips circulating are edited and taken out of context. The CapCut AI watermark in one corner is, according to one user, the clearest proof that something doesn't add up. Those who have tried to trace the original source run into paywalls, dead links and anonymous accounts. It is the usual modus operandi of disinformation: create a striking piece, spread it without verification and let hatred do the rest.
In the end, the boat-and-witches hoax is merely a symptom of something deeper. Irregular immigration is a complex phenomenon that demands serious responses, not virtual lynchings. While some amuse themselves spreading lies, others keep risking their lives at sea. And so, meme after meme, reality drowns.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (102 replies).
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