Are hate crime hoaxes a real thing in America?
A Church vandalised with Nazi symbolism was wrongly blamed on white nationalists and Trump supporters.
Right after Donald Trump’s election, A pro-gay Episcopal church in Indiana was vandalised with “Heil Trump,” a swastika and an anti-gay slur. Turns out it was the church's gay organ player who did committed these acts. He was charged only with a misdemeanor.
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In 2018, vandalism of a New York synagogue was falsely blamed on Trump supporters.
Days after the Pittsburgh massacre, Trump supporters were blamed for Nazi vandalism at a Brooklyn synagogue & fires in a Jewish community. Turns out the perpetrator was a gay black man who had worked with city council on an initiative to fight hate crimes.
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In 2016, A black church in the US suffered an arson attack made to look like it was inflicted by Trump supporters, when it wasn't.
One week before the presidential election, a black church in Mississippi was burned in an arson attack. “Vote Trump” was written on the building. After much panic, an investigation revealed that the man responsible was a church member: Andrew McClinton.
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In 2016, a muslim student faked being attacked by white supremacists.
In Nov 2016, a Muslim student at the University of Louisiana said two white racist Trump supporters brutally assaulted her, ripped off her hijab and robbed her. The story went viral but it was false. The media never identified her by name after the hoax was revealed.
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In 2016, a muslim woman claimed to have been attacked by white supremacists on the subway but this was false.
An 18-year-old Muslim woman who claimed that three men attacked her on a Manhattan subway and tried to pull off her hijab was charged with filing a false report. Yasmin Seweid, the woman in question, had lied.
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A New York-based black woman falsely accused Trump supporters of racially attacking her.
In September 2018, a black woman in Long Island said Trump supporters confronted her and told her “she didn’t belong here.” Her car tire was slashed the next day and a hateful note was left behind saying “go home.” Adwoa Lewis, the lady in question, had made up the whole story.
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A black college student defaced his own campus with racist symbols and language, to make it look like an attack by white supremacists.
In Nov 2018, students at Goucher College demanded social justice training and safe spaces after racist, Nazi and Ku Klux Klan (KKK) graffiti was found on campus. Someone even wrote the names of black students. Trump was blamed but Fynn Arthur, a black student, was responsible.
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In 2017, a student at St Olaf's college pretended to be the victim of a racist note she had written to herself.
In 2017, St Olaf College was roiled by mass protests in response to anti-black notes found across campus. Class was cancelled and admin caved to demands. An investigation found that Samantha Wells, a black victim of one of the notes, had fabricated the incident.
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In 2017, a black student defaced his own car with racist messages, in order to make it look like he had been targeted by others.
In November 2017, near Kansas State University, a black man's car was vandalised with racist messages. Class was cancelled and students held demonstrations. Dauntarius Williams later admitted to police that he did this to himself. Police did not charge him.
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In 2018, someone at Kansas State University wrote a racial slur on their own door then reported the incident to the police.
In autumn 2018, at Kansas State University, a note that read "Beware n***ers live here! Knock at your own risk," was left on an apartment door. The supposed victim admitted to police that they'd done it. This was the second time in two years they'd fabricated a hate incident.