Katie Hopkins links Pittsburgh massacre to Chief Rabbi’s support for refugees

Former Apprentice contestant turned media commentator Katie Hopkins has deleted a tweet appeared to blame Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis for the deadly Pittsburgh synagogue attack, linking his support for refugees to the gunman’s motives.

The Trump-supporting columnist, whose contract with the Mail was severed after several libellous claims cost the outlet hundreds of thousands of pounds, is well-known for her anti-migrant views, but was left backtracking this week.

She made the comments two days after the shooting, with gunman Robert Bowers seemingly resentful of the refugee resettlement work being undertaken in the United States by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS).

Hopkins tweeted that she was watching the “pin-the-blame on the donkey” game adding: “Look to the Chief Rabbi and his support for mass migration across the Med… There you will find your truths.”

Last year she reported from the C-star, a vessel whose aim is to hinder migrant search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean. It is supported by US-based white nationalists such as David Duke.

Her position is at odds with that of Mirvis, who led a delegation of rabbis to a refugee and migrant centre in Greece in 2015, and last year visited Syrian refugees in Yorkshire, saying: “We as a community know first-hand what it’s like to be refugees.”

The failed business contestant later deleted the tweet, saying it had “been misinterpreted”. She added: “I have always been a staunch defender of the Jewish people… I would never wish to detract from that.”

Now working for Canadian far-right outlet The Rebel, she was relieved of her employment at LBC Radio last year, after calling for “a final solution” just hours after the Manchester Arena bombing. Weeks later, she called for “internment” of Muslims, which even right-wing US network Fox News said was “reprehensible”.