Analysis finds overseas accounts drove much of X discussion around UK unrest

More than half of the prominent X accounts posting about unrest in Belfast and Southampton in June 2026 were located outside the United Kingdom, according to an analysis published by the Guardian on August 9.

The review examined 43,000 posts mentioning the two cities and related names during the periods of disorder. Among 8,672 accounts whose relevant posts collectively received more than 1,000 views, 45.3% were shown by X as being in the UK. The remainder were abroad, including 16.8% in the United States and 4.5% in Ireland. Seven of the 12 most-viewed posts came from US-based accounts.

The analysis classified posts using a large language model and said three people manually checked more than 5,500 posts. It found that nearly one-third of the 43,000 posts contained racist or anti-immigration language. Almost one in 10 posts about Belfast included calls for violence or for paramilitary or vigilante action.

The location findings rely on X’s “about this account” data, which the platform infers largely from internet addresses. The analysis acknowledged that users may disguise their locations through virtual private networks. It found no leading posts attributed to Russia or China, while noting that concealed locations could limit that conclusion.

The data does not establish that every overseas participant was part of a coordinated influence campaign. It does show that commentary from outside the UK reached large audiences during local flashpoints. Researchers cited in the report said such moments can be exploited by political actors seeking to amplify division, particularly as platform moderation and engagement algorithms shape which posts travel furthest.