A terrorism 'expert' speaking on Fox News unwittingly unleashed a hilarious Twitter firestorm after describing Birmingham in the UK as "totally Muslim."
Speaking to Fox presenter Jeanine Pirro about the recent Paris attacks, Steve Emerson said that there are "no-go zones" throughout Europe where "non-Muslims just simply don’t go."
"You basically have zones where sharia courts were set up, where Muslim density is very intense, where the police don't go in, and where it's basically a separate country almost, a country within a country," he said.
Birmingham is one such place, he said.
The Fox News interview quickly sparked the hashtag #FoxNewsFacts, ridiculing Emerson's egregious remarks.
#foxnewsfacts Minarets being constructed all along the UK coastline by ISIS. pic.twitter.com/BoGrf90UFB— Ric Facchin (@ForwardRole_Ric) January 12, 2015
In Birmingham, the local death squads go by the name of Quran Quran. #foxnewsfacts pic.twitter.com/xHXFtPUHxZ— David Jack (@DamJef) January 11, 2015
The wildly inaccurate statements also prompted a response from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who, in an interview with ITV News, described Emerson as "clearly a complete idiot" and saying that he "choked on his porridge" when he heard Emerson's comments.
Emerson apologized after the interview, saying that he had "made a terrible error for which I am deeply sorry," according to the UK Telegraph.
"There was no excuse for making this mistake and I owe an apology to every resident of Birmingham," he continued. "I am not going to make any excuses. I made an inexcusable error. And I am obligated to openly acknowledge that mistake."
The ridicule, though, kept coming.
Even buildings wear burkas in Birmingham #FoxNewsFacts pic.twitter.com/LpqzvxxL2q— Paul Connolly (@PaulConnolly10) January 11, 2015
Mecca Bingo, probable proof of the Islamic domination of Birmingham according to #foxnewsfacts pic.twitter.com/idByIkkrzQ— Lewis Bush (@LewisKayBush) January 11, 2015
Spaghetti Junction was specifically designed to make sure all roads lead to Mecca @FoxNews #FoxNewsFacts pic.twitter.com/NfGfpB8glX— Jo Warner (@JoWarner01) January 11, 2015
BREAKING Pigs forced to flee elusive Birmingham Islamist state as regime cracks down on Sharia Law #FoxNewsFacts pic.twitter.com/vtU3MYgkrI— YELHSA (@ashrouen) January 11, 2015
Radical Islam also taking hold in Scottish Highlands & Islands, under influence of spiritual leader, Mullah Kintyre. #foxnewsfacts— Douglas Griffin (@dgriffinphoto) January 11, 2015
The original name of the show was MiddleEastEnders. The BBC dropped the "Middle" to conceal its creeping sharia agenda. #foxnewsfacts— Dan Murphy (@bungdan) January 11, 2015
If you are a non-muslim and would like to visit Birmingham #illridewithyou #FoxNewsFacts— Rabeb Othmani (@Rabeb_Othmani) January 11, 2015
Third series of Peaky Blinders to be renamed Peaky Burqhas #FoxNewsFacts— David Wilson (@David_Wilson_80) January 11, 2015
Once a day, at 3pm, the entire UK prays to Macca. #FoxNewsFacts pic.twitter.com/lRXltpv7bQ— Matt Malone (@MattMaloneMD) January 11, 2015
Birmingham used to be part of the West Midlands, but it's now moved to the Middle Eastlands. #FoxNewsFacts— James Martin (@Pundamentalism) January 11, 2015
At a height of 152m, Birmingham's main minaret is the tallest in the world #foxnewsfacts pic.twitter.com/lzLa68aLD5— BBC Free Speech (@BBCFreeSpeech) January 11, 2015
In fact, Muslims make up about 21.8% of Birmingham's population, according to government records.