‘We Deeply Regret the Errors’: Fox News Makes a Huge Correction About Islam in Europe

Zach Noble

Are French and English cities balkanized, dotted with “no-go” zones into which no non-Muslims can enter?

Not formally.

Fox News issued a major apology and correction — twice — on Saturday night after terrorism commentator Steve Emerson claimed that certain cities in France and England have become Muslim-only enclaves.

Here’s what Fox anchor Julie Banderas had to say:

Over the course of this last week we have made some regrettable errors on air regarding the Muslim population in Europe – particularly with regard to England and France. This applies especially to discussions of so-called ‘No Go Zones’ areas where non-Muslims allegedly aren’t allowed in and police supposedly won’t go.

[...]

To be clear, there is no formal designation of these zones in either country… and no credible information to support the assertion that there are specific areas in these countries that exclude individuals based solely on their religion. There are certainly areas of high crime in Europe as there are in the United States and other countries – where police and visitors enter with caution. We deeply regret the errors and apologize to any and all who may have taken offense including the people of France and England.

Watch Banderas’ apology below:

Fox anchor Jeanine Pirro also issued a correction and apologized for not challenging Emerson’s claims last week; watch below:

Emerson himself has also apologized for his claims, particularly for claiming that Birmingham, England, is a Muslim-dominated city into which non-Muslims can’t go.

My comments on FoxNews about Birmingham were totally inaccurate. Birmingham, please accept my apology; I was wrong. Steve Emerson
— InvestigativeProject (@TheIPT) 12 janeiro 2015

Fox News reported that the best estimates they could find pegged the Muslim population of Birmingham at around 22 percent.

Why was Fox apologizing to the people of England and France?

Likely because the U.K.’s prime minister called Emerson a “complete idiot” for his claims, and a French TV show launched an email campaign seeking apology.

Soyons encore plus nombreux à envoyer ce nouveau message à @FoxNews pour qu'ils corrigent leurs infos ! #LPJ pic.twitter.com/BlfRDKlc0i
— Le Petit Journal (@LPJofficiel) 16 janeiro 2015

It worked.

Zach Noble, The BLAZE, January 18, 2015