Online abuse of Welsh health advocate takes sinister turn
Amelia Jones
Online abuse against a Welsh health advocate has escalated into vile memes linking her with terrorists and child killers.
Athika Ahmed, a 23-year-old volunteer and medical student at Cardiff University, has faced abuse online based on her appearance and religion, including AI-generated images depicting her eating food with a Palestinian flag emblazoned on her chest.
Over the last week, posts shared on X, Facebook and messaging apps have repeatedly portrayed her through extreme and false imagery, often recycling the same memes and slogans.
Rather than isolated criticism, the material forms part of a pattern of ongoing harassment, with users amplifying one another’s content.
One widely shared image places the advocate alongside the Southport killer, Axel Rudakubana — who was born in Cardiff — presenting both figures dressed in traditional Welsh clothing beneath the caption ‘Visit Wales.’
The circulation of these images began shortly after she appeared in a BBC segment encouraging open discussions around female health, including menstruation and breast awareness.
Since that appearance, the abuse has developed through a series of recurring meme formats, each intensifying in tone.
What began as personal mockery quickly shifted into images associating Ahmed with extreme violence, followed by content questioning her national identity and portraying her as an outsider within Wales.
Ahmed is an ambassador for the ‘Love Your Period’ campaign and has worked extensively to support and educate young Muslim girls on menstruation and menstrual cycles – topics that remain heavily stigmatised in some communities.
According to NHS Voices, she has volunteered alongside her studies for many years, playing a key role in outreach and education.
What was meant to be a positive message has turned into backlash surrounding Ahmed’s appearance and nationality.
The abuse moved beyond anonymous meme accounts when media commentator Katie Hopkins released a video on social media attacking the advocate.
In the clip, Hopkins commented on her appearance and questioned her Welsh identity, using air quotes when describing her as “Welsh”.
She added: “[She] looks like my hamster when faced with a bag of peanuts in an impending famine.
“Cheeks so big they’re squished up so her eyes can’t open. About as healthy as cancer.”
Similar posts suggest that she does not belong in Wales or represent it legitimately, grouping her with people of colour in the context of immigration discourse and reinforcing a racialised narrative about who is considered “Welsh.”
Ahmed’s nationality has been repeatedly questioned or undermined.
Broadcaster and author Narinder Kaur took to X to defend Ahmed, she said: “Firstly, the comments about Athika Ahmed on all social media platforms X are some of the most disgustingly offensive, misogynistic and racist I’ve ever seen.”
Firstly, the comments about Athika Ahmed on all social media platforms X are some of the most disgustingly offensive, misogynistic and racist I’ve ever seen. She’s done more for her community and women than any of them ever will.
I hope Athika is OK and not seeing this abuse.
If… pic.twitter.com/MQOqe5ECYf— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) January 22, 2026
While much of the content is framed as satire or commentary, campaigners warn that such portrayals can have real-world consequences, particularly when directed at young women working in public-facing roles.
The case highlights ongoing concerns around how online platforms address abuse that is persistent, racialised and increasingly normalised.
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The comments were on another level of evil with no filter. It is really sad to see how low our society has fallen. To make it worse, there was very few to tell them to stop and because these individuals felt invisible and motivated the comments and pictures just got worse. I tried and the speed of the posting did slow down but it did not stop.
It’s absolutely disgusting,I cannot imagine what this young lady is going through ,it has to be stopped,and now.
Not only is it Islamophobic, racist, and misogynistic, its also anti-Welsh. I can only guess these hate filled comments, and memes, are made by members of party’s like Reform. I’d rather live next door to Athika Ahmed, than Nigel Farage.
Well said.
Reform and Tory party know what they have been doing. Vile.
Time to call in the use of twitter and facebook in the UK. Block them until they moderate. FYI tictok in the US is now the far right US owned entity with heavy suppression of facts and pushing vile hate.
Good call.
Surely X need to deal with these absolutely disgusting entities,this young lady do not deserve any of this abhorrent evil directed at her,it truly is heartbreaking to see what this Country has become,we have to stop it, now.