Your Latest Batty Conspiracy: Right Wingers Think Photo of Migrant Family Fleeing Tear Gas Was Staged
As the debate about the Central American migrant caravan rages on, there’s a new conspiracy theory emerging from the right-wing fever swamps, and it posits that some of the most widely-circulated images from the U.S. southern border are phony.
A section of the border descended into chaos this past weekend as several hundred migrants attempted to storm the border. Security officials used tear gas in response to the unruly crowds and threats of aggression from the attempted border-crossers, though women and children were also gassed among the crowds.
One of the most prominent images that emerged was this picture of a mother and her kids fleeing from the tear gas:
How a photographer captured the image of a migrant mother and her children fleeing tear gas https://t.co/Rd7eNo2dVI
— Post World (@PostWorldNews) November 26, 2018
Various fringe right outlets — and even some mainstream ones, like the Daily Wire — and public figures are absurdly suggesting that the photo was some sort of staged event with paid actors. (For the real story of the image, read CJR’s interview with photographer Kim Kyung-Hoon.)
A conspiracy theory bubbling in right-wing media today: The idea that the widely-circulated photo of a migrant woman with two children at the border was “hoaxed” or “staged.” pic.twitter.com/Padb9xynLu
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 26, 2018
We kept telling you the caravan is using the Gaza Playbook
And now the media has their hoax narrative that Border Patrol “gassed” the migrants
Watch which ones show the context of the riot and rock-throwing
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) November 26, 2018
There’s Good Reason to Believe the Viral Photo of Border Agents Gassing a Migrant Mother and Her Children Is Staged https://t.co/ayHNYvlDzn
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) November 26, 2018
Word to the #Media.
Next time you want to stage a fake photo-up of an Hispanic mother and her kids running from tear gas, don’t put her in a Disney “Frozen” shirt and don’t put the 5 year old’s in diapers.
Something about Disney doesn’t scream, “starving 3rd world.” pic.twitter.com/KW1WflZPIl
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) November 26, 2018
Hoaxed: The ‘Illegal Alien Mom with Barefoot Kids’ Photo was a Setup – Another Staged #FakeNews Production https://t.co/Dd46vDr2s0 via @gatewaypundit
— Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) November 26, 2018
President Trump defended the tear gas usage on Monday night by saying it was “very safe” and that migrant parents are to blame for exposing their kids to it.
[Image via Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters]
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