Paper short abstract:

Our main goal is to show how important is the role of social media in spontaneous solidarities and the way in which an extreme speech regarding the role and place of religion and state as allegedly responsible institutions for such tragedies can emerge in this environment.

Paper long abstract:

Social media is becoming more and more the “weapon of choice” used by public opinion whereas the press is often seen as manipulative and submitted to the establishment. Unfortunately, the most powerful impact in social media, as in the mainstream one, is caused by the “terrible news”. The emotional complex surrounding this kind of events varies from despair to anger and sometimes develops into extreme speech.

Maximum exposure was given during 2015 to terror attacks reclaimed in the name of religious fundamentalism committed in France (“Chalie Hebdo” and “Bataclan”). These events gave an opportunity to far right activists to contest the legitimacy and resilience of the establishment. Romania also had its share of “terrible news” with a fire which destroyed “Colectiv Club” in Bucharest, killing 63 people and injuring 143. Up until now the cause of fire is still under debate, but the fact that it happened on Halloween night during a metalcore concert gave the opportunity to orthodox radicals to prove a point and consequently be attacked by secularist counterparts.

Our main goal is to show how important is the role of social media in spontaneous solidarities and the way in which an extreme speech regarding the role and place of religion and state as allegedly responsible institutions for such tragedies can emerge in this environment. In the same time, an assessment has been carried out concerning the responses of the above mentioned authorities’ to the social media echo of these events.