Story:
Russia Put Black Lives Matter on Official ‘Terror List’.
Other Versions
US Hate Group “Black Lives Matter” and its Billionaire Funders Put on Russia Terror List.
Analysis:
A story in circulation online in couple of versions alleges that Russia put the Black Lives Matter activist movement in United States of America on their Official Terror List. Considering some criticism against the uprising Black Lives Matter movement, quite many readers thought the ‘news’ might be a fact, but it isn’t.
Origin of Story
On 9 July 2016, a website whatdoesitmean.com published a ‘breaking news’ article titled “US Hate Group “Black Lives Matter” And Its Billionaire Funders Put On Russia Terror List“. Given below is the introductory paragraph from the article:
The Investigative Committee (SLEDCOM) is reporting today that Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council, has initiated a legal inquiry as to placing on the Federal Security Service (FSB) “Unified List of Organizations, Including Foreign and International Organizations That Have Been Recognized As Terrorist [Groups] By Russian Law” an American “racial-hatred” group known as Black Lives Matter, its three founders, and two of its US billionaire funders.
The next day on 10 July 2016 Your News Wire website yournewswire.com cited the aforementioned whatdoesitmean.com article in their article titled “Russia Put Black Lives Matter On Official ‘Terror List’,” saying – Russia is planning to place Black Lives Matter on their ‘terror list’, officially recognizing the group as a “racist terrorist organisation”.
About Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (BLM) is an activist movement originating in the African-American community that campaigns against violence toward black people. The movement began in 2013 with the use of the hashtag BlackLivesMatter on social media, after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin. Black Lives Matter organizes protests against the deaths of black people (mostly unarmed) in killings by law enforcement officers, and raises broader issues of racial profiling, police brutality, and racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system.
The U.S. Democratic National Committee passed a resolution in August 2015 supporting Black Lives Matter. In October 2015, U.S President Barack Obama said he understands and supports the Black Lives Matter movement, suggesting there is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community that’s not happening in other communities. Again in July 2016, Obama defended Black Lives Matter movement at a memorial service for five slain Dallas police officers, and mentioned bigotry remains a problem in police departments across the U.S.
On the other hand, conservative pundits have labeled the Black Lives Matter movement a “hate group,” and linked the protests as violence against cops. As the movement became popular, criticizers of BLM came up with the slogan “All Lives Matter”. Responding to the criticism, founders of BLM said, “#BlackLivesMatter doesn’t mean your life isn’t important – it means that Black lives, which are seen without value within White supremacy, are important to your liberation“.
Actual Facts
Coming back to the story in question, whatdoesitmean.com is in fact a conspiracy theory website. Articles in the website resemble current news stories in its style that usually come with sensational headlines, quote authoritative high-level Russian sources, but are hardly related to reality. A part of the Disclaimer information on the website reads as below:
..This site is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. You should not assume that this site is error-free or that it will be suitable for the particular purpose which you have in mind when using it…
..Some events depicted in certain articles on this website are fictitious and any similarity to any person living or dead is merely coincidental. Some other articles may be based on actual events but which in certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious.
About the Author Sorcha Faal
The articles on the website whatdoesitmean.com are reported by a person named Sorcha Faal, but there is no credible information about the author. In 2004, the site whatdoesitmean.com was claimed to be by Booth. In 2005, it claimed to be by a Russian scientist named Sorcha Faal, and by 2009, the site was claiming “Sorcha Faal” was the title of the head of the “Order of Sorcha Faal,” whose real name is Maria Theresa of Dublin. Notably, a number of people have reported receiving emails from Sorcha Faal, sometimes requesting for money as well. Some suggest that Sorcha Faal could be the pen name of David Booth, whose books are often promoted through the website, or someone related to Booth.
So considering all the aforementioned facts and flaws, it is clear the claim that Russia put Black Lives Matter on official terror list is a hoax; it originated from a conspiracy theory website whatdoesitmean.com that is spreading more disinformation than actual facts.
Hoax or Fact:
Hoax.
References:
Sorcha Faal – RationalWiki
Reader Asks – ‘Who Is Sorcha Faal?’
Black Lives Matter
0 Comments