The alleged “staged” protest story was taken up by a number of alt-right sites and groups that perpetrated the news, enhancing it as the story grew. But that is exactly how erroneous and totally inaccurate stories get spread.
The man who posted the video to YouTube says everything was being staged so that CNN could film the “protest.” On his Twitter account, he wrote: “Note the white police officers leaving before the CNN shot & the Asian officers coming in. They then left after they went off air! #fakenews.”
And about this time, Donald Trump Jr. picked up on the story, taking the opportunity to criticize CNN, tweeting: “Not at all surprising at this point. They create the narrative they want to push & sell it at all costs. #fakenews.”
CNN International responded with a Tweet, writing: “This is nonsense. Police let demonstrators through the cordon to show their signs. CNN along with other media simply filmed them doing so.”
Fact Check
But now we come to the “fact check.” And this has been coinfirmed by several sources, including Mashable and Snopes.
Fact: Multiple sources say @Markantro came across CNN’s staging a report on Muslims’ protesting the attacks in London. But there is no evidence to suggest that CNN “staged” the demonstrations, other than talking to the protesters as part of a news segment.
Fact: The video shows a number of reporters and equipment because there were several news organizations on the scene, all filming the group of protesters and their signs. It was the protesters that asked the police if they could cross the police barriers so they could get behind the news media to be filmed.
Fact: The police agreed and escorted the group of protesters into position. The shot was “arranged” only to the extent necessary to fit the group into the camera frame. The demonstration was real, and according to the BBC, the gathering was organized by the London Fatwa Council, who confirmed that their Chairman, Shaykh Mohammad Yazdani was present at the demonstration.
The chairman also issued a statement: “I was shocked to my core when I learnt of the devastating attacks in London, as I left the mosque last night. Whilst myself and the majority of the Muslim community were busy in night time prayers, a horrible act of terror was being played out outside. I am deeply, deeply aggrieved that such heinous violence and terror again be upon our streets.
In the sacred month of Ramadhan when Muslims are engrossed in the remembrance of God and in togetherness with their families and communities, I cannot accept that the perpetrators of this terror are observers of my faith. Acts of terror are always deplorable but more so during the sacred month of Ramadhan.”
As this journalist has suggested in the past, check your facts, folks and don’t be taken in by fake news.
