Ms. Rachel caught liking call to ‘Free America from the Jews’ — claims she ‘was just tapping’ to delete in tearful apology
Controversial kids’ YouTuber Ms. Rachel has admitted liking a vile antisemitic Instagram comment calling for America to be “free from the Jews” — while trying to cry it off as an innocent mistake, saying she thought she was deleting it.
The social media star, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, was forced to issue a groveling apology late Wednesday after she ignited a firestorm on social media over the glaring mishap.
The tech-savvy toddler-whisperer copped to liking the vile comment someone left on one of her posts only after a fan informed her privately of the apparent error.
“So I thought I deleted a comment and I accidentally hit ‘like and hide’,” she sobbed in an Instagram video explaining her actions.
“I would never agree with an antisemitic thing like the comment. We have Jewish family, a lot of my friends are Jewish,” she said. “I delete antisemitic comments.”
The saga erupted when Ms. Rachel had shared a statement from her notes app on Instagram that read “Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, Free Iran” with each country’s respective flag.
Under her post, another user’s account quickly replied, writing: “Free America from the Jews.” The comment garnered four likes – including one from Ms. Rachel’s account, according to screenshots shared online.
The 43-year-old online sensation claims a well-meaning fan then messaged her privately to point out what she was sure was “an accident.”
“Hi rachel, just wanted to let you know there’s a comment under your latest post that says ‘free American from the Jews’ that says like by the author. I’m sure that’s an accident so wanted to let you know,” the follower wrote.
“Deleted – how horrible – oh wait let me check – I did delete one like that. Ya I believe I deleted that earlier right when I saw it! I hate antisemitism,” Ms. Rachel messaged back.
In the post’s caption, the entertainer attempted to explain the blunder, insisting “people are allowed to make mistakes” and that she was “super sorry for any confusion it caused.”
“I delete antisemitism ANY time I see it. I am against all forms of hate including antisemitism against the Jewish people,” she wrote.
The social media star then doubled down with the apology just hours later, insisting she was “so broken over this.”
“I feel like we can’t be human anymore online,” she complained in the video.
“And I’m so sorry for the confusion it caused. I’m so sorry if anyone thought that I would ever agree with something so horrible and antisemitic like that. I don’t.”
“I want to say that it’s OK to be human and it’s OK to make mistakes and I’m old, so I am not as good with touching things online, I guess. I have liked things by accident before.”
Some die-hard followers praised her for her “transparency.”
“No one believes this was intentional. They do things like this to set you up. We know your heart,” one follower wrote.
But others weren’t so easily convinced.
“What do you mean ‘deleted’ when you LITERALLY LIKED THE COMMENT and was caught in 4K? This gaslighting is WILD,” one person seethed.
“Your comments are full of blatant antisemitism that you allow to run rampant but i’m sure you already know this,” another highlighted.
Ms. Rachel, a staunch Israel critic, boasts 4.8 million followers on her Instagram and a whopping 18.6 million on her YouTube channel.
Many of her kids’ learning videos, which are geared towards toddlers and babies, have racked up more than 200 million views each — and she recently launched a collaboration with Elmo.
In late December, the entertainer — a Maine native who now lives in Manhattan — was tapped to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural committee, which dissolved after he was sworn in.
She was a vocal critic of former Mayor Eric Adams and bashed him for his sweeping cuts to early childhood education.
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