The Russian Embassy in the UK upset left-wing journalists and social justice warriors after posting a picture of internet meme “Pepe the Frog” on Twitter.
“In today’s papers: pundits call on @Theresa_May to disrupt possible Russia-US thaw,” wrote the official embassy account, along with a picture of Pepe. “No trust in Britain’s best friend and ally?”
The post led to left-wing social justice warriors claiming that the Russian Embassy had just shared a “white nationalist” symbol, despite their claims being based off of discredited “evidence” featured in an interview with two notorious trolls.
“[H]i there, reporter here. are you aware of that image’s popularity among white nationalists?” responded Talia Jane, a reporter for Mic– the site that sabotaged a fundraiser for a gay military charity in October due to the fact that it was taking place at a pro-Trump art show.
https://twitter.com/itsa_talia/status/818466223591686146
“Hi there, someone who actually understands the internet here,” replied another user to Jane in defense of Pepe. “Are you aware that you’re a complete moron?”
“Whatever Pepe started as, it’s now a white supremacist/nationalist dog whistle & @RussianEmbassy is tweeting it…” claimed another verified user, who also pointed out that the embassy was “‘liking’ the tweets of the trolls defending pepe.”
“Stop spreading lies. Pepe (Kek Be Upon Him) is a meme of peace,” replied one user in response to the false claims that Pepe is a “hate symbol,” while another simply commented, “It’s a fucking meme you dolt.”
https://twitter.com/SoreThumbsBill/status/818498702386102273
Other accounts also insinuated that Pepe the Frog was a hate symbol, seemingly unaware of the discredited source behind these claims.
Popular internet meme Pepe the Frog was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s hate symbol database in September, where it currently sits alongside the swastika, Nazi SS lightning bolts, and various Ku Klux Klan imagery.
Hillary Clinton, George Stephanopoulos, NBC’s Katy Tur, and Heat Street have also branded the cartoon frog a symbol for white supremacy, seemingly basing their claims on a Daily Beast article that interviewed two notorious trolls, Jared Taylor Swift and Paul Town.
During the interview, Swift and Town attempted to link the meme to white supremacy, with Swift boasting that he had managed to trick the media on his since-removed Twitter account afterwards. Following this interview, Pepe has been used as a scapegoat by the left to brand internet-dwelling conservatives, libertarians, and even Donald Trump, Jr. as racist.
Several popular YouTubers have also defended the cartoon frog, while pro-Trump iPhone game Build the Wall: The Game was rejected from Apple’s App Store for featuring Pepe, and eventually even his silhouette.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.