A video showing schoolgirls welcoming refugees to Wales has sparked new controversy, reigniting debates about grooming gangs. The video, created by a South Wales school and shared by the Welsh Refugee Council (WRC), has been criticized for allegedly using children inappropriately to promote migration.
The video, which was first released in 2023, was quickly removed. However, it has resurfaced recently, attracting attention from figures like tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk suggested that the video was being used to “encourage migrant men to come to Wales.”
Former Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies criticized the video, accusing Welsh Labour ministers of using children as “propaganda” for a politically driven project. He called it “highly inappropriate” for political groups to involve schoolchildren in such campaigns.
In response, the WRC expressed concern about “misinformation” spread by influential people. The organization warned that these claims could lead to threats against its staff and others. The WRC also said it would refer Davies’ comments to the Senedd’s Standards Commissioner.
Davies, however, defended his remarks, saying, “Britain has a proud history of helping those in need, but schoolchildren should not be used in videos like this. I make no apologies for calling it out.”
Andrea Cleaver, the WRC’s chief executive, clarified that the council neither created nor commissioned the video. She explained that the video was made by a school in 2023 to highlight the positivity and compassion of the students. It was not intended as an advertisement for migration. The school had uploaded the video to social media, and while the WRC shared it to promote inclusion, both the school and the WRC removed it shortly after. The footage now circulating was recorded by individuals who captured the original video.
Despite the criticism, the WRC continues to support messages of inclusion and compassion while addressing the concerns raised by the video’s renewed circulation.