The far-right continues to spread the conspiracy theory that inspired the synagogue shooter

The notion that Jews are behind a nefarious plot to engineer a migrant invasion is still circulating in right-wing media

In the month since a far-right gunman massacred 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh, PA, synagogue, seemingly driven by a conspiracy theory that Jews were orchestrating an invasion of the United States by migrants, this deadly false narrative has continued to spread as a talking point on right-wing platforms.

The alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, used social media site Gab (a “haven for white nationalists”) to post a derogatory statement about Jewish refugee-resettlement organization HIAS. He accused the organization of bringing “invaders” into the U.S. before unleashing his deadly attack against those worshipping inside the Tree of Life synagogue. And when he was captured, he claimed Jews were “committing genocide” of his people. Since the deadly incident, rhetoric accusing Jews of committing so-called “white genocide” by supporting immigration into the United States seems to continue to proliferate unchecked.

This week, a Twitter account called @InvasionPlot cropped up and began posting photos and names of Jewish scholars, journalists, student activists, and public officials, among others, and highlighting the individuals’ pro-immigrant and pro-refugee views. The Twitter bio says “this didn’t happen by accident,” and the account garnered thousands of followers before it was suspended.

 

What Trump has said about violent attacks depends on who committed them


After the shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, many politicians condemned the violence and blamed divisive political rhetoric around the country. (Jenny Starrs /The Washington Post)

President Trump’s immediate response to the killing of 11 people at a synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, offered as he headed to Indiana for an event on Saturday, focused on the motivation of the alleged shooter.

“It’s a terrible, terrible thing what’s going on with hate in our country,” he said, “frankly, and all over the world. And something has to be done. Something has to be done.” Then his focus shifted: The attack was even deadlier than publicly reported at the time and, in response to a question from a reporter, that there was not necessarily cause to revisit gun laws.

“If they had protection inside, the results would have been far better,” he said. “This is a dispute that will always exist, I suspect.”

View the complete October 30 article by Philip Bump on the Washington Post website here.