La difusión de rumores falsos sobre los haitianos en Ohio: consecuencias para la ciudad de Springfield
16 september 2024 в 19:02
Donald Trump, during the second presidential debate on Tuesday, repeated an unfounded and sensational statement about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, who allegedly eat dogs and other domestic animals.
Trump’s statements provided intolerant people with a clear goal and intensified existing hostility. Information about Haitian immigrants originally spread on the internet in August on platforms used by far-right extremists and the hate group «Blood Tribe», - a neo-Nazi group. «The president is talking about it now», - wrote one member of the «Blood Tribe» on Gab, a social network popular among the far right. «This is what real power looks like».
Maria Bruno of Ohioans Against Extremism, a non-profit organization founded last month in part due to the growing presence of extremists in Ohio, said: «They are thrilled that there are politicians willing to repeat their rhetoric».
This is how the residents of Springfield suffered from Republican candidates continuing to insist on these false claims and strengthening extremists.
Unfounded rumors made the residents of Springfield realize that they fear violence and discrimination. By Friday — just three days after the presidential debate — bomb threats led to the evacuation and closure of public schools and municipal buildings for the second day in a row.
Students at Perrin Woods and Snowhill schools in Springfield «were evacuated from their buildings to an alternative location in the county», - said school district representative Jenna Leinassar. Roosevelt Middle School was «closed until the start of the school day» based on information from the Springfield police, Leinassar added.
In addition to the school evacuations, several city commissioners and municipal employees were the target of an electronic bomb threat, said city representative Karen Graves. A second letter threatened several locations, including Springfield City Hall, Cliff Park High School, Perrin Woods Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the Ohio License Bureau on the south side, Graves said. Local police and FBI agents in Dayton are «working to determine the origin of these electronic threats», - added the city official.
On Saturday, neighboring Wittenberg University canceled all events on campus the next day after receiving a potential shooting threat targeting the Haitian community.
In response to the recent influx of about 15,000 Haitians, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) plans to send additional law enforcement forces to Springfield and allocate $ 2.5 million for medical assistance.
In an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition program, DeWine stated that stories about Haitian migrants eating domestic animals «have no compelling evidence».
«If you talk to people, especially those who work with Haitians, they will tell you that they are very hardworking», - DeWine said. «Recently, one person said, 'I would like to have another 100 people working for me.' Look, these are good people. The people in Springfield are good people».
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue expressed the same sentiment in an appearance on MSNBC’s «Katy Tur Reports» on Friday. «Springfield is a beautiful community, and your pets are safe in Springfield, Ohio», - Rue said. «We have made this publicly known, and we ask people to understand and believe the reports we share with them», - Rue added.
The mayor also called for an end to misinformation. «We need those with a national platform and millions of followers to understand the impact of their words on cities like Springfield, Ohio», - Rue said. «We need help, not this misinformation»
Trump’s statements provided intolerant people with a clear goal and intensified existing hostility. Information about Haitian immigrants originally spread on the internet in August on platforms used by far-right extremists and the hate group «Blood Tribe», - a neo-Nazi group. «The president is talking about it now», - wrote one member of the «Blood Tribe» on Gab, a social network popular among the far right. «This is what real power looks like».
Maria Bruno of Ohioans Against Extremism, a non-profit organization founded last month in part due to the growing presence of extremists in Ohio, said: «They are thrilled that there are politicians willing to repeat their rhetoric».
This is how the residents of Springfield suffered from Republican candidates continuing to insist on these false claims and strengthening extremists.
Unfounded rumors made the residents of Springfield realize that they fear violence and discrimination. By Friday — just three days after the presidential debate — bomb threats led to the evacuation and closure of public schools and municipal buildings for the second day in a row.
Students at Perrin Woods and Snowhill schools in Springfield «were evacuated from their buildings to an alternative location in the county», - said school district representative Jenna Leinassar. Roosevelt Middle School was «closed until the start of the school day» based on information from the Springfield police, Leinassar added.
In addition to the school evacuations, several city commissioners and municipal employees were the target of an electronic bomb threat, said city representative Karen Graves. A second letter threatened several locations, including Springfield City Hall, Cliff Park High School, Perrin Woods Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the Ohio License Bureau on the south side, Graves said. Local police and FBI agents in Dayton are «working to determine the origin of these electronic threats», - added the city official.
On Saturday, neighboring Wittenberg University canceled all events on campus the next day after receiving a potential shooting threat targeting the Haitian community.
In response to the recent influx of about 15,000 Haitians, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) plans to send additional law enforcement forces to Springfield and allocate $ 2.5 million for medical assistance.
In an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition program, DeWine stated that stories about Haitian migrants eating domestic animals «have no compelling evidence».
«If you talk to people, especially those who work with Haitians, they will tell you that they are very hardworking», - DeWine said. «Recently, one person said, 'I would like to have another 100 people working for me.' Look, these are good people. The people in Springfield are good people».
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue expressed the same sentiment in an appearance on MSNBC’s «Katy Tur Reports» on Friday. «Springfield is a beautiful community, and your pets are safe in Springfield, Ohio», - Rue said. «We have made this publicly known, and we ask people to understand and believe the reports we share with them», - Rue added.
The mayor also called for an end to misinformation. «We need those with a national platform and millions of followers to understand the impact of their words on cities like Springfield, Ohio», - Rue said. «We need help, not this misinformation»
© Kolganov Andrey
