Daily Mail Finally Deletes Bogus 'Racist and Proud' Zimmerman Supporter Story

The U.K.’s Daily Mail has finally removed an article proven false by an exclusive interview with Breitbart News from their website, although no statement was provided to readers to inform them that the story had been based on a falsehood.

The Daily Mail had continued to run a debunked story claiming a George Zimmerman supporter was carrying a sign saying “We’re Racist & Proud!” during a Houston counter-protest, despite being informed three days previously via email that the source for the article, a New York Daily News report, had been retracted. There was also a substantial outcry over the inaccuracy of the story from social media,the blogosphere, and U.S. media sources. 

The hoax came after after the New Black Panther Party held a marchfor Trayvon Martin on July 21, 2013 that resulted in a counter-demonstration. A woman on the pro-Trayvon side ofthe clearly separated and distinguishable protests held a sign thatread: “We’re Racist & Proud!” 

The Houston Chronicle then reported on a picture of her holding the sign inan unclear manner, which the New York Daily News‘ Philip Caulfield then distorted theambiguous Houston Chronicle piece and turned the woman with the signinto “a Zimmerman supporter.” The New York Daily News immediatelyretracted their claim once they were made aware that Breitbart News had video evidence that the woman was actually a left-of-center Trayvon Martin supporter.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail took the false segment of the New York DailyNews report and then based an entire article off of the narrative of the “racist” sign. While the incorrect information in New York Daily News article represented a small section of their larger article on theprotest, the Daily Mail based an entire article and its headline on the fallacy. 

Breitbart News wrote to the Daily Mail but did not receive aresponse after three days.

This is the claim the publication continued to make available to their readers until today:

Around 80 people gathered on a street in Houston’s River Oaks area,some carrying American flags and shouting support for stand-your-groundself-defense laws. Members of this group held signs that read: “We’reracist and proud.”

The link to the Daily Mail article now takes readers to a page that states, “Sorry… The page you have requested does not exist or is no longer available.”