Eliot Higgins
@eliothiggins.bsky.social
Founder and creative director of Bellingcat and director of Bellingcat Productions BV. Author of We Are Bellingcat.
Pinned
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
@mtkonczal.bsky.social recently documented how the MAGA coalition is in deep tension over a lot of this, with various priorities working against each other. The data I got here supports this, with majorities of working class and even 50% of rural Americans disapproving of ICE enforcement.
ICE is recruiting by selling service as militaristic ethnonationalism, an opportunity to engage in manly, heroic violence purging the nation of immigrants and their cosmopolitan allies. The public is recoiling now that it's seeing these cracked priorities enacted.
newrepublic.com/article/2062...
newrepublic.com/article/2062...
February 10, 2026 at 4:43 PM
@mtkonczal.bsky.social recently documented how the MAGA coalition is in deep tension over a lot of this, with various priorities working against each other. The data I got here supports this, with majorities of working class and even 50% of rural Americans disapproving of ICE enforcement.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
When a user commented that Grok was no longer working on the redaction requests, Grok confirmed it was still operational but that it couldn't unblur or identify the minors in the released DOJ files because "it's ethically and legally protected”. X have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
February 10, 2026 at 3:03 PM
When a user commented that Grok was no longer working on the redaction requests, Grok confirmed it was still operational but that it couldn't unblur or identify the minors in the released DOJ files because "it's ethically and legally protected”. X have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
We reviewed 31 separate requests from users for Grok to “unblur” or identify the victims in these photos and the video from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. The chatbot generated responses to 27 of those requests. See our video here: www.youtube.com/shorts/dhD8O...
Grok Users Are Attempting To Identify Epstein Victims
YouTube video by Bellingcat
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
We reviewed 31 separate requests from users for Grok to “unblur” or identify the victims in these photos and the video from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. The chatbot generated responses to 27 of those requests. See our video here: www.youtube.com/shorts/dhD8O...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Since we reached out to X about Grok attempting to unredact photos of Epstein victims upon X users’ requests, we’ve noticed Grok now refusing to unredact new requests. Bellingcat researcher @koltai.bsky.social reports: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children - bellingcat
Bellingcat reviewed dozens of requests for Grok to generate the faces of children and women that had been redacted from the latest documents.
www.bellingcat.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Since we reached out to X about Grok attempting to unredact photos of Epstein victims upon X users’ requests, we’ve noticed Grok now refusing to unredact new requests. Bellingcat researcher @koltai.bsky.social reports: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
VAN HOLLEN: Did you in fact make the visit to Epstein's private island?
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 PM
VAN HOLLEN: Did you in fact make the visit to Epstein's private island?
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
BE NOT AFRAID bsky.app/profile/atru...
Peter Navarro: "The jobs report comes out tomorrow. We have to revise our expectations down significantly for what a monthly job number should look like ... Wall Street has to adjust for the fact that we're deporting millions of illegals out of the job market."
February 10, 2026 at 4:01 PM
BE NOT AFRAID bsky.app/profile/atru...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children - bellingcat
Bellingcat reviewed dozens of requests for Grok to generate the faces of children and women that had been redacted from the latest documents.
www.bellingcat.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Epstein Files: X Users Are Asking Grok to 'Unblur' Photos of Children www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
A police investigation against neo-Nazis in Germany & Switzerland w/ links to Blood & Honour/Combat 18: neo-Nazi music/merch (obviously), suspicion of violating weapons laws, trafficking steroids/doping drugs and prescription drugs, having explosive devices, etc. Arrest warrant out for main suspect.
"Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung der STA Göttingen und der ZKI der Polizeidirektion Göttingen: Umfangreiche Durchsuchungsmaßnahmen in einem Ermittlungsverfahren gegen Rechtsextremisten" 👇
#rechtsrocktnicht
#rechtsrocktnicht
POL-GOE: Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung der STA Göttingen und der ZKI der Polizeidirektion Göttingen: Umfangreiche Durchsuchungsmaßnahmen in einem Ermittlungsverfahren gegen Rechtsextremisten
Göttingen (ots) - Die Zentrale Kriminalinspektion der Polizeidirektion Göttingen führt unter der Sachleitung der Staatsanwaltschaft Göttingen seit Februar 2025 ein...
www.presseportal.de
February 10, 2026 at 11:56 AM
A police investigation against neo-Nazis in Germany & Switzerland w/ links to Blood & Honour/Combat 18: neo-Nazi music/merch (obviously), suspicion of violating weapons laws, trafficking steroids/doping drugs and prescription drugs, having explosive devices, etc. Arrest warrant out for main suspect.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
This is the funniest headline I seen in a long time. And bravo to whoever underlined the desperation with the juxtaposed link.
February 10, 2026 at 7:47 AM
This is the funniest headline I seen in a long time. And bravo to whoever underlined the desperation with the juxtaposed link.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9 trib.al/EzsvCLH
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9
trib.al
February 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Unredacted Epstein files implicate ‘six powerful men’ and reveal victim aged just 9 trib.al/EzsvCLH
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
And no one got fired. "An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, her lawyers said, a little less than a year after masked federal agents in plainclothes arrested her on a street near Tufts University where she was studying." www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Immigration Court Drops Case Against Tufts Student Rumeysa Ozturk
The Turkish national had been arrested by plainclothes federal officers outside her apartment.
www.wsj.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:33 AM
And no one got fired. "An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, her lawyers said, a little less than a year after masked federal agents in plainclothes arrested her on a street near Tufts University where she was studying." www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
I've finally found a use for AI
February 10, 2026 at 10:37 AM
I've finally found a use for AI
The Moon : Oops All Paedophiles Edition, coming soon from X.
"Life cannot just be about one sad thing after another," says the man responsible—directly or indirectly—for like 90% of the sad things that happened in the past year.
February 10, 2026 at 10:10 AM
The Moon : Oops All Paedophiles Edition, coming soon from X.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
People on Reddit are getting Amazon to refund their Ring products because of their partnership with Flock and that creepy Super Bowl ad
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
February 10, 2026 at 9:55 AM
People on Reddit are getting Amazon to refund their Ring products because of their partnership with Flock and that creepy Super Bowl ad
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
I see the Gray Zone Boyz are in "you gotta hand it to Noam Chomsky" mode.
February 10, 2026 at 8:03 AM
I see the Gray Zone Boyz are in "you gotta hand it to Noam Chomsky" mode.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Vermont US Representative Becca Balint being interviewed by Drop Site News shortly after reviewing more, unreleased Epstein files saying
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
February 10, 2026 at 3:02 AM
Vermont US Representative Becca Balint being interviewed by Drop Site News shortly after reviewing more, unreleased Epstein files saying
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
"They're all a bunch of sick fucks"
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
i got stuck explaining fascism to an 8-year-old who had seen the word on a protest sign.
explaining gay is trivial.
explaining gay is trivial.
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
February 10, 2026 at 3:21 AM
i got stuck explaining fascism to an 8-year-old who had seen the word on a protest sign.
explaining gay is trivial.
explaining gay is trivial.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
i think this more than anything is what miller wants. vast detention camps with all of the suffering and death that means.
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:56 AM
i think this more than anything is what miller wants. vast detention camps with all of the suffering and death that means.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
It would be great if the top two stories about the executive branch were not a huge multinational child rape coverup and the establishment of a gulag of concentration camps
February 10, 2026 at 4:54 AM
It would be great if the top two stories about the executive branch were not a huge multinational child rape coverup and the establishment of a gulag of concentration camps
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Republican Rep. Luna: “According to the files we saw, Ghislaine Maxwell was engaged in trafficking and rape of young women. Potentially children. I don’t think she deserves any special treatment. She’s a monster.”
(From @acyn.bsky.social )
(From @acyn.bsky.social )
February 10, 2026 at 5:42 AM
Republican Rep. Luna: “According to the files we saw, Ghislaine Maxwell was engaged in trafficking and rape of young women. Potentially children. I don’t think she deserves any special treatment. She’s a monster.”
(From @acyn.bsky.social )
(From @acyn.bsky.social )
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Leslie Wexner is one of the 10 co-conspirators named by the FBI during the 2019 arrest of Epstein.
He gave Epstein millions of dollars and the $70 million NYC townhouse.
Leon Black gave Epstein over $170 million.
Both men are alive.
How come they've never been asked to testify?
He gave Epstein millions of dollars and the $70 million NYC townhouse.
Leon Black gave Epstein over $170 million.
Both men are alive.
How come they've never been asked to testify?
February 10, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Leslie Wexner is one of the 10 co-conspirators named by the FBI during the 2019 arrest of Epstein.
He gave Epstein millions of dollars and the $70 million NYC townhouse.
Leon Black gave Epstein over $170 million.
Both men are alive.
How come they've never been asked to testify?
He gave Epstein millions of dollars and the $70 million NYC townhouse.
Leon Black gave Epstein over $170 million.
Both men are alive.
How come they've never been asked to testify?
Jamie Raskin accuses DoJ of cover-up after viewing unredacted Epstein files www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Jamie Raskin accuses DoJ of cover-up after viewing unredacted Epstein files
Ranking member of House judiciary panel said ‘mysterious redactions’ in files obscured names of abusers
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:28 AM
Jamie Raskin accuses DoJ of cover-up after viewing unredacted Epstein files www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Breaking: Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Trump told Palm Beach police chief ‘everyone’ knew about Epstein, Maxwell was ‘evil’
The new information comes as Ghislaine Maxwell was summoned to appear Monday before a Congressional committee.
www.miamiherald.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Breaking: Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Olympian Gus Kenworthy on MAGA lashing out at his criticism of the government:
"I just want to remind everyone that you can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American. I am...and still think it can be better. And I do not support ICE and I think it is absolutely evil and awful and terrifying."
"I just want to remind everyone that you can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American. I am...and still think it can be better. And I do not support ICE and I think it is absolutely evil and awful and terrifying."
February 9, 2026 at 10:50 PM
Olympian Gus Kenworthy on MAGA lashing out at his criticism of the government:
"I just want to remind everyone that you can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American. I am...and still think it can be better. And I do not support ICE and I think it is absolutely evil and awful and terrifying."
"I just want to remind everyone that you can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American. I am...and still think it can be better. And I do not support ICE and I think it is absolutely evil and awful and terrifying."