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Rufus Hound faces backlash for suggesting Theresa May was responsible for Manchester terrorist attack

Comic Rufus Hound has faced immense backlash after taking to his popular Twitter page to suggest that the Manchester terrorist attack on Monday night was actually an inside job from Prime Minister Theresa May.

Rufus, whose Twitter profile has over one million followers, seemingly compared May to Adolf Hitler, saying that he believes the government is capable of “great evil, especially during an election”.

Rufus suggested that the terrorist attack was an inside job.
Rufus suggested that the terrorist attack was an inside job.

It all started when Rufus retweeted a now-deleted tweet that read: “Given that the attacker was known to MI5, the timing seems fortunate for May that an attack ‘slips through’ as Labour are making progress…”.

Adding his own message to the tweet, the 38-year-old star wrote: “Apologies for mild tinhattedness, but I’ve been thinking the same. Especially as she was Home Secretary for so long.”

He followed up with the hashtag “#ReichstagFire”, referencing the 1933 arson attack on the German Parliament building that gave Hitler political justification to crack down on his opponents.

The attack targeted Ariana Grande’s fans at Manchester Arena.
The attack targeted Ariana Grande’s fans at Manchester Arena.

It wasn’t long before Rufus’ followers criticised him for using his huge platform to peddle such conspiracy theories, writing:

Rufus then issued a half-hearted apology, telling his critics: “Okay, okay. Look, I’m probably [far] too cynical, but I struggle believing our establishment is incapable of great evil. If you’re not, sorry.

“I guess, I’m not really alleging it as true, more that I don’t believe our establishment is incapable of such evil. Especially during an election.”

When his fans continued to chastise his comments, Rufus followed up with: “Oh, man. This thing has gone mental. I can only apologise to anyone who thinks I meant that tweet lightly. I genuinely didn’t.

Vigils have been held across the city.
Vigils have been held across the city.

“But we’re being governed by people who start wars and bomb innocents and whose austerity is killing our brothers and sisters.

“But I’m sorry. I really am. I guess the whole #hypernormalistaion of bizzare and inhuman acts has made me awful. So, I’m just sorry. Sorry.”

He later added: “Please understand, I have kids the same age that would have been at that concert and my fear of the forces that will harm them is deeply politicised. It just is.

“On no level do I devalue the loss suffered. If you feel I did, then I completely and utterly apologise.”

Ariana has been left ‘broken’ by the attack.
Ariana has been left ‘broken’ by the attack.

Monday night’s terrorist attack saw 22 people lose their lives and countless others being hospitalised with serious injuries after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a homemade nail bomb as Ariana Grande concert-goers left Manchester Arena following her sold-out performance.

The star has since cancelled a string of her remaining tour dates, jetting home to the US in “hysterics” after tweeting that she has been left “broken” by the attack on her fans.

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