Fox’s Soul network will no longer air Louis Farrakhan’s upcoming speech.
The channel, which bills itself as “a live and interactive streaming channel dedicated to the African American viewer that premiered in January 2020,” announced on Monday that it will not broadcast the speech after facing backlash. Instead, it will be airing a “special program” featuring “a compilation of the most powerful speeches from the greatest black leaders and thinkers about racial relations and civil rights in America.”
The network did not provide any details as to which speeches would be included in the special program, which will air on Saturday.
Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam who has a history of promoting anti-Semitism and homophobia, will deliver his “message to America” the same day.
In an October 2018 speech honoring the 23rd anniversary of the Million Man March, Farrakhan told his followers, “When they talk about Farrakhan, call me a hater, you know how they do — call me an anti-Semite. Stop it. I’m anti-termite!”
His commentary has also elicited responses from social media platforms he uses. In May 2019, Facebook banned Farrakhan for anti-Semitic and homophobic rhetoric.
“We’ve always banned individuals or organizations that promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology,” a Facebook representative then told CNN Business. “The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive.”
