Elon Musk’s repost of a viral Muharram procession video on X triggered debate this week, as users questioned the clip’s context, location and framing of Muslim religious gatherings.
The video, first shared by the account RadioGenoa, showed a large crowd, mostly dressed in black, performing chest-beating rituals associated with Muharram and Ashura commemorations.
Several outlets said users linked the footage to a Shia Muslim Muharram or Ashura procession in Manchester, United Kingdom. However, the exact location and event details could not be independently verified from the clip alone.
Musk shared the clip without adding a caption. Soon after, users debated whether the post lacked context or amplified negative framing around Muslim public gatherings.
Some users defended the procession as a religious mourning ritual tied to Imam Hussain ibn Ali, whose martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD is commemorated during Ashura. Others compared the gathering with public religious events held by other communities.
The video drew criticism from users who accused Musk of singling out the Muslim gathering, while other users focused on crowd size and public-order concerns.
Read: Ashura 2026 Processions Draw Millions Across World
The debate came as Muslims in several countries marked Muharram 1448 AH with processions, mourning gatherings and charity drives.
Ashura fell on June 25 or June 26, 2026, depending on local moon sightings and national calendars.
