MAGA Blamed a Palestinian Student for the Brown University Shooting. They Were Once Again Very Wrong
Prominent Republicans and conservative figures like Laura Loomer rushed to blame the shooting on a Palestinian student or a Muslim, despite there being no evidence.
In the immediate aftermath of the Brown University shooting, before investigators had identified the suspect or established a motive, a familiar pattern took hold. Right-wing figures, including Laura Loomer, rushed to social media with claims that the gunman was Muslim or that it was the result of left-wing violence.
There’s just one problem: there is nothing indicating the suspect shooter was Muslim, and he certainly wasn’t a Palestinian, as some conspiracy theorists wanted you to believe. He was a 48-year-old former Brown University student and Portuguese national who was found dead late Thursday of apparent suicide. There is no evidence that the killer shouted “Allahu Akbar.” He wasn’t a Palestinian student, whom conspiracy theorists dangerously named and circulated a photo of. We still don’t know the motive, but there’s nothing at this point that suggests he targeted one of the victims because she was a Republican.
Here’s a look at the dangerous anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate that these figures spread:
Self-declared “proud Islamophobe” Laura Loomer:
Even after the suspected shooter’s identity became clear, Loomer still spread dangerous conspiracies:
Dangerously, right-wing influencers and conspiracy theorists attempted to link the shooting to a Palestinian student, including some naming him and using his photo. Others shared social media posts or online articles with the misinformation, including questioning why Brown had removed information about the student from its website (Brown condemned the “harmful doxxing” of the student and said “It is not unusual as a safety measure to take steps to protect an individual’s safety when this kind of activity happens, including in regard to their online presence.”)
Far-right venture capitalist Shaun Maguire:
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights at Donald Trump’s Justice Department, and MAGA Rep. Anna Paulina Luna:
Conspiracy theorist Naomi Wolf:
Other right-wing public figures immediately rushed to blame “left-wing” violence for the shooting, despite there being no evidence to support the claims. They were quick to say one of the victims, Ella Cook, was a Republican, but they neglected naming the other student killed: MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old US dual citizen from Uzbekistan, in his first semester. Nor did they name any of the nine people who were injured in the shooting.
GOP Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas:
Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York:
Alabama GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville:
While authorities are still working to determine a motive for the shooting, which they also linked to the killing of MIT professor Nuno Loreiro at his home, all these figures should learn to wait for the evidence before jumping to conclusions that seem to have more to do with their prejudice or political needs than facts.
Safiya Chagani contributed to this reporting.
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The hatred behind these false accusations is a characteristic of this horrible administration and its right wing supporters.
I just read that standing with hands behind the back is a typically Middle Eastern habit. Who knew?
The most famous person I can think of who had a much remarked upon habit of standing and walking with his hands behind his back was Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. Long deceased husband of also deceased Queen Elizabeth II.
Pretty sure his ancestry was Greek … maybe also German? But now I wonder … was he actually a spy from one of those nasty Middle Eastern countries all along? 😳