Ethnic hate speech surges online

(Kaieteur News) – The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) issued 48 cautionary warnings for ethnic hate speech on social media during its latest monitoring period, marking a sharp increase from the 37 warnings recorded in the preceding period.

The warnings were issued between July 29 and August 24, 2026, as the Commission continued its monitoring of online content amid persistent concerns over racially abusive and divisive statements, ERC said in a press release on Thursday.

The 48 infractions included 18 standalone racial slurs, 12 racially prejudiced remarks, nine racially derogatory statements, four racially hateful remarks, two racially divisive statements, two xenophobic remarks and one instance of racial stereotyping. The latest figures bring the number of cautionary warnings issued by the ERC’s Media Monitoring Unit since January to 270, compared with 194 during the corresponding period last year.