Netflix’s ‘Trigger Warning’ faces backlash for controversial anti-Arab depiction in opening scene

The recently released Netflix action film “Trigger Warning,” starring Jessica Alba, has sparked significant backlash on social media for its opening scene.

The film, which was released on 21 June, follows Parker (Alba), a special forces commando called back to the United States after her father’s death in an apparent accident.

Parker embarks on an investigation to uncover the truth behind his death.

In the first few minutes of the film, viewers are presented with a scene set in the Syrian desert.

Men wearing scarves open fire on an aid truck bearing the “American Relief Organization” logo.

In response, shooters in combat outfits and brown keffiyeh scarves engage the attackers, who are labelled “terrorists” in the subtitles, killing some and alerting others.

This portrayal has sparked outrage among viewers, who accuse the filmmakers of perpetuating anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotypes and normalizing the killing of Arabs.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “After all the bombing, killing, & terrorizing that the US inflicts on the Middle East, you still have the audacity to feature Arabs as terrorists?! Shame on your racism!”

After all the bombing, killing, & terrorizing that the US inflicts on the middle East, you still have the audacity to feature Arabs as terrorists?! Shame on your racism! https://t.co/s5wYFTLxX8

— Mai Badawy (@Mai_Badawy) June 23, 2024

Academic Hatem Bazian criticized the film, saying, “Islamophobia and Orientalism are so baked into Hollywood and media productions, which is the oxygen that loads the bullets in guns and bombs to be dropped in real life on innocent Arabs and Muslims across the globe. We live in an Islamophobic social imaginary that makes racist films like this a standard for how Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims are represented.”

Islamophobia and Orientalism is so baked into Hollywood and media productions, which is the oxygen that loads the bullets in guns and bombs to be dropped in real life on innocent Arabs and Muslims across the globe. We live in an Islamophobic social imaginary that makes racist… https://t.co/EcDii8KMFM

— Dr. Hatem Bazian (@HatemBazian) June 23, 2024

The scene draws parallels with Nuseirat massacre

Several users drew parallels between the film’s opening scene and the recent Nuseirat massacre, where Israeli forces attacked the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza in early June during a rescue operation to free four Israeli captives.

The attack resulted in over 270 Palestinian deaths and more than 600 injuries.

Allegations surfaced that Israeli forces had used humanitarian aid trucks as a cover for the operation, a tactic referred to as “humanitarian camouflage” by Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the West Bank and Gaza.

Relieved that four hostages have been released. It should not have come at the expense of at least 200 Palestinians, including children, killed and over 400 injured by Israel and allegedly foreign soldiers, while perfidiously hiding in an aid truck.
This is "humanitarian…

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) June 8, 2024

The similarities between the movie and real-life events have led to further criticism.

One X user commented, “Netflix just produced and released a new rubbish film where the opening scene is of Americans disguised as aid workers using aid trucks to attack and kill ‘Arab terrorists’ wearing Palestinian keffiyeh.”

“If it sounds familiar, it’s because it effing is – and it is intentional.”

#Netflix just produced and released a new rubbish film where the opening scene is of Americans disguised as aid workers using aid trucks to attack and kill ‘Arab terrorists’ wearing Palestinian keffiyeh.
If it sounds familiar it’s because it effing is 😖 and it is intentional 😠 https://t.co/lGVHP4Kuuf

— Louay 🍉 لؤي (@Louayism) June 23, 2024

One user commented, noting that while the film wasn’t made recently, its release just two weeks after the Nuseirat massacre, where Israeli forces allegedly hid in aid trucks to kill over 200 people, is appalling.

Fucking hell, I know this wasn’t filmed just now but being released just two weeks after the Nuseirat massacre where they hid in aid trucks to kill over 200 people, jfc

You ever wonder why Palestinians are so vilified and dehumanised? Decades upon decades of this shit https://t.co/n7L7fSy6YC

— Aneela (انیلا)✨🇵🇸 (@anee1a) June 23, 2024

Many called for a boycott of the film, pointing out that the scarves worn in the film resemble the keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by Arab men.

The keffiyeh is widely recognized as a symbol of solidarity and support for Palestinians, symbolizing global solidarity in their struggle against Israeli occupation.

Boycott this racist ass movie that normalizes Americans hiding in aid trucks to shoot and murder Arabs. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I’m literally 1 min 43 seconds in and they have Arabs wearing kuffiyehs, using subtitles like “(terrorist in Arabic)”

Instant boycott. https://t.co/TvPXwYbLU3 pic.twitter.com/XzZ2r3TuwZ

— reem (@girlcalledreem) June 22, 2024