A day after a protest in Grand Rapids inspired by the murder of George Floyd turned violent, Democratic House candidate Hillary Scholten of Michigan pleaded for “peaceful” protests and urged demonstrators “to not resort to violence and destruction.” An ad from a Republican PAC falsely claims Scholten “dismissed the destruction.”
Person: george floyd
Posts Mislead on Words of Alternate Juror in Chauvin Trial
An alternate juror in the trial of Derek Chauvin said she initially had “mixed feelings” about jury duty, because of concerns about “disappointing” either side and the possibility of “rioting.” She said she “would have said guilty,” but as an alternate did not participate in the verdict. Social media posts now use her words to erroneously imply that a juror admitted outside pressure was a factor in the verdict.
Posts Falsely Identify Suspect in Fatal Shooting as George Floyd’s Brother
Viral Facebook posts falsely claim Dejywan Floyd — a Black man arrested April 1 in the fatal shooting of a woman in North Carolina — is George Floyd’s brother. There is no evidence the suspect is the brother of George Floyd, a Black man whose death in police custody led to months of protests against racial injustice.
Gifting a Folded Flag Isn’t ‘Only For Fallen Veterans’
Headlines on social media misleadingly suggest that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi violated a military tradition when she gave a folded flag to the brother of George Floyd. A folded flag is not “Reserved Only For Fallen Veterans,” as one headline claims. Members of Congress routinely present flags that have flown over the U.S. Capitol as gifts.
Meme Spreads Wrong Photo, Details in Floyd Criminal Case
Conspiracy Theory on Floyd’s Death Disproved by Footage
Bogus Claims of ‘Crisis Actors’ in Death of George Floyd
Posts Distort Facts on Floyd Pathologist’s Role in Past Cases
Video of Trump’s ‘Choke’ Quote Refers to Political Rivals
Bricks Were Placed for Construction, Not to Incite Protesters
Some viral social media posts misleadingly suggest that piles of bricks are being staged ahead of the protests over the death of George Floyd to incite violence. We reviewed five social media posts making such claims and found no evidence of staging. In many cases, the bricks had been delivered for construction projects, or had been at the sites for some time.