Bavaria’s Interior Ministry wants to use a short video to promote its campaign on the dangers posed by Salafist preachers. But after criticism, the clip disappears again – at least for now.
Following criticism, Bavaria’s Interior Ministry has temporarily stopped a short video advertising a campaign against the dangers posed by Islamist preachers. The animated video clip – which the ministry initially published on the X platform but later deleted – had sparked accusations of racism on social media. Several media outlets initially reported on it.
“We take the criticism of the video very seriously and have stopped the campaign for the time being,” said a ministry spokesman. “We deeply regret if the video has led to irritation and misunderstandings.”
The video, which is about 30 seconds long, shows a young woman watching a smartphone clip of a preacher wearing a prayer cap. The question “Are Muslim women allowed to wear make-up?” is displayed. Dark sounds and a malicious laugh can be heard. The preacher’s face turns into a grimace, and the woman disappears into his throat.
A short time later, the woman is seen first wearing a headscarf and then fully veiled. Finally, in the video, tears run from her eyes as she cleans the kitchen next to another fully veiled woman. “The Salafism Trap” with the subtitle “It happens faster than you think” is displayed in capital letters, followed by a link to the website of the prevention campaign “Answers to Salafism”.
The video was intended to promote the campaign and show that influential Salafist preachers are increasingly trying to “lure young people in particular and win them over to their extremist ideas with everyday topics that at first glance seem harmless.” The clip is now to be revised. “The dangers of Salafism must not be played down, however,” stressed the ministry spokesman.
Nicole Gohlke, a member of the Bundestag for the Left Party, wrote on X that the post was a “thoroughly racist video clip”. She continued: “Pathetic – especially in these times! Instead of exclusion and incitement, we need to take a stand against anti-Muslim racism.”
The domestic policy spokeswoman for the Bavarian SPD, Christiane Feichtmeier, said the video had “caused her to shake her head”. The fight against Salafism is important, said the state parliamentarian. “However, it cannot be that taxpayers’ money is spent on something that does not work or perhaps even does the cause a disservice. That is certainly the impression the video has on me and others.”
