Harry Styles. (Shutterstock)
Singer Harry Styles dedicated a brief moment during a recent performance to Oscar Belgal, a migrant shot in his vehicle by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with his 5-year-old child in the back seat, and the hosts of Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” reacted Tuesday with fury.
“I just wanted to take a moment to think about Oscar Belgal tonight, and I want us to just think and remember to just look after each other,” Styles said during his performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade immediately launched into a laundry list of allegations that have been made against Belgal, while also falsely accusing the migrant of having “attacked his neighbors with a machete,” a misrepresentation of claims made by Belgal’s former neighbors.
Ainsley Earhardt, another host on “Fox & Friends,” said that Styles’ comments had persuaded her against bringing her own child to one of his performances.
“I have a child who's 10, a lot of her friends love Harry Styles so all the moms are getting groups together and going to these concerts,” Earhardt said. “I wanted to take [my daughter] to it — now I'm like, I don't want her to be subjected to that! And of course, everyone in the audience is clapping!”
Kilmeade jumped in to attack those who applauded Styles’ remarks as “pro-machete people,” whereas Fox News’ Lawrence B. Jones argued that Styles made the remarks at the instruction of his public relations team.
“People online are saying that you're glorifying someone with a criminal record! This is a guy that police were trying to arrest because he's broken the law!” Earhardt, who has repeatedly praised President Donald Trump, a convicted felon, added.
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