Antisemitic conspiracy theories spread online amid European wildfires
A CyberWell report found that posts on X were shared in French, English and Spanish, falsely claiming that Jews deliberately started fires or were seeking to profit financially from the disasters
Antisemitic conspiracy theories blaming Jews for wildfires across several European countries are spreading on social media, according to a new analysis by CyberWell, an organization that monitors online antisemitism.
The report found that nearly identical posts on X were shared in French, English and Spanish, falsely claiming that Jews deliberately started fires in France, Spain and Norway or were seeking to profit politically or financially from the disasters. CyberWell said the allegations were made without evidence.
According to the organization, posts related to the fires in Norway alone generated more than two million views, turning what began as isolated accusations into a broader online antisemitic campaign. Similar posts in Spain reached more than 69,000 users.
CyberWell said the coordinated appearance of the same narratives in multiple languages suggests either an organized campaign or the rapid amplification of identical talking points across different accounts.
As the claims spread, some posts escalated to include calls to expel Jews, dehumanizing rhetoric and antisemitic imagery, including the "Happy Merchant" caricature, a symbol commonly associated with white supremacist and extremist groups.
The organization said the pattern mirrors previous online disinformation campaigns following major crises, including the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the 2026 Patagonia fires, terrorist attacks and public health emergencies.
"The same scapegoating narratives, once popular in Nazi propaganda, now go viral on major platforms after every crisis," CyberWell founder and CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor said in a statement.
"Whether it's a fire, an epidemic, a shooting or another international crisis, the same conspiracy theories reappear within hours," she added.