UN: Anti-migrant rhetoric can cause violence

Politicians who use derogatory language about refugees and migrants may ultimately be responsible for causing violence, racism and bigotry, UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein warned on Tuesday.

"Once you classify people along lines such that they pose a threat - that these are 'hordes', that we are being 'invaded', that there are 'swarms' of people coming, you have started the process of dehumanizing them, as we know from history," he said.

Speaking to a packed audience of students and diplomats at Geneva's Graduate Institute, Zeid said politicians may feel they were exercising their freedom of expression responsibly, but such language was not OK, even in the mildest form.