WASHINGTON — Question:
Are viral posts claiming that the NAACP is warning about violent white supremacist initiations the weekend after the election legit?
Answer:
No. The NAACP released a video informing the public that this warning did not come from them. This type of rumor campaign has spread on social media before, including in July 2020.
Source:
Nov. 5 Statement, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Process:
The core mission of the Verify team is to fight misinformation spreading online. One claim about supposed violent white supremacist initiations was gaining steam, leading up to the weekend of Nov. 6.
“NAACP has received credible information that some white nationalist groups, neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups have initiations happening this weekend," the post said.
The post then continues in horrific detail about what the groups plan to do in this violent initiation process.
"They will be looking to snatch Black men and boys," the post read. "And hang them, shoot them, torture them and kill them.”
The Verify team looked to the source to find out if this post was legitimate. Trovon Williams, the VP of Marketing and Communications at NAACP, released a video denying the post on Thursday evening.
"While the NAACP takes all matters of racial discrimination, racial hatred and domestic terrorism very, very seriously, we thought it was important enough to let you know in this moment that those claims are false," Williams said. "And the NAACP has not come in contact with any such information.”
Williams pointed out that this is not the first time such rumors have surfaced. In July, a similar message popped up, sparking concern on social media.
"These are certainly divisive times," Williams said. "And mechanisms like this are utilized to bring dissension and to also bring fear. And we will certainly not be divided, and we will not be fearful.”