'Keyboard warriors': Northern Ireland leader hits out at Musk and Robinson

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson and tech billionaire Elon Musk have both used the Belfast stabbing to advocate for an anti-immigration agenda. (Reuters)

Anti-immigration figures are using social media to exploit anger at the horrific stabbing of a man in Northern Ireland.

The attack on Stephen Ogilvie in Belfast, allegedly at the hands of a Sudanese migrant, has led to rioting in the city, with cars and homes destroyed by mobs of people wearing black clothing.

While the unrest has been widely condemned, including by the victim's family, some online are seizing on it to drive people towards anti-immigration politics.

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson — real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — is one of those who has been using his social media channel to fan the flames.

Included in Mr Robinson's many posts on the incident is a list of protest locations accompanied by the caption describing the attack as "yet another invader attack on our people".

The post has received more than 10 million views, according to X.

He later claimed that they are "not my protests" and said he was "merely passing on information".

Separately, he posted that "white people are under attack" and reposted a US right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec, who said "Remigration MUST commence".

The family of a Northern Irish man who lost an eye in a knife attack has appealed for calm ​after anti-immigrant violence in Belfast.

Remigration is a notion linked to white nationalist ideology that calls for the mass deportation of non-European peoples from Western nations.

The owner of the X platform, Elon Musk, is another individual who has seized on the incident.

The tech billionaire wrote, "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!", sharing Tommy Robinson's list of protest locations to his 240 million followers.

This post has received more than 8.5 million views, according to X.

He also shared a manipulated image of a Banksy artwork — depicting a judge hitting a protester with a gavel.

The original image shows the demonstrator holding a blank placard; the reposted image has "White lives matter" written on it.

An original image of Banksy's artwork, compared to a version of it which has been manipulated. (Supplied)

Mr Musk and Mr Robinson were both singled out for criticism by the First Minister for Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill.

"There are bad actors that are jumping on this and actually using it to stir up hate and tension," the Sinn Féin vice president said.

"We see the likes of the Elon Musks of this world, or we see the Tommy Robinson