New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez repeated Democrat claims “white supremacists” were responsible for violence as riots raged nationwide over the death of George Floyd.
“There are increasing reports and investigations that white supremacists may be infiltrating these protests, breaking windows and destroying property,” said an Instagram post by Ocasio-Cortez. “If anything seems off to you, DOCUMENT IT. Always check who is organizing,”
Ocasio-Cortez suggested she heard the claim from MSNBC host Joy Reid:
Reid said she got her information from Democrat leaders in Minnesota, including Melvin Carten, the Mayor of St. Paul, next door to Minneapolis:
Carter subsequently retracted his statement.
But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey tweeted a claim local police “are now confronting white supremacists”:
Frey’s tweet prompted respondents to spotlight local arrest records.
But the message quickly spread far beyond Minneapolis, to Reid and others.
“Police didn’t stop the white nationalists they said made a mockery of the George Floyd protests and used real protesters as human shields, but in city after city police forces largely appear to be the aggressors against protesters and even journalists tonight,” said a tweet from Reid.
The “white nationalists” theme was also pushed by Jonathan Capehart, a member of the Washington Post’s editorial board:
The Democrats’ claims came as other tweets suggested that “far-right extremists” hope for more violence. But a report by Vice.com did not provide any evidence that “white nationalists” were leading the riots:
Far-right extremists are showing up, with guns, to the protests against police brutality that have exploded across the country.
Others are egging on the violence from behind their computers, urging followers to carry out acts of violence against black protesters with the goal of sparking a “race war.”
Their presence makes an uneasy addition to the escalating unrest, which was triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was choked to death by a white Minneapolis police officer earlier this week.
The article cited a few “far-right extremists” standing at the periphery of left-wing protests, under the dramatic headline “Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War.”