A hacker shared a series of racist and antisemitic posts from the X account of Elmo, the fuzzy red monster from “Sesame Street,” the owner and producer of the children’s show reported on Sunday.
The posts, published on a verified account with over 600,000 followers, included racial slurs, antisemitic language, and commentary regarding President Trump and the Epstein files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. The content was removed shortly after it was posted on Sunday afternoon.
According to a spokeswoman for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind “Sesame Street,” "Elmo’s X account was compromised today by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, including antisemitic and racist posts." The organization is currently working to restore full control of the account.
Elmo, a beloved Muppet character who is perpetually 3-and-a-half years old, typically teaches young viewers valuable lessons about kindness and patience.
As of midnight, Elmo’s account had not posted any additional messages. X could not be reached for comment at this time.
Recent reports from law enforcement officials and advocacy groups have indicated a surge in hate speech in the United States, particularly antisemitism. Experts attribute the rise in antisemitism to events following a violent attack by Hamas on Israel in 2023, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths. The Israeli military's response has reportedly led to more than 58,000 deaths in Gaza, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry.
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2024, marking the highest number on record and a 344 percent increase over the past five years. The incidents include online harassment on social media, although the organization did not attempt to quantify the total amount of antisemitism online.
The organization stated, “Elevated antisemitism has become a persistent reality for American Jewish communities,” in its report detailing the incidents from 2024.
In early June, an individual threw Molotov cocktails at a Jewish group advocating for the release of hostages in Gaza, resulting in one death from the attack. Prosecutors subsequently charged a man with first-degree murder and a hate crime.
In another incident, two employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were fatally shot outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, with a man later charged with several offenses, including first-degree murder.
Additionally, in April, a man set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion on the first night of Passover, prompting Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, to flee with his family.