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  • 2017-06-05 (xsd:date)
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  • CNN Staged Muslim Protests After London Attack? (en)
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  • On 4 June 2017, the day after seven people were killed in an attack in London subsequently claimed by the Islamic State, conspiracy theorists claimed that CNN International staged a demonstration by Muslims condemning the incident the next day. A video published to YouTube by Twitter user Markantro on 4 June 2017 was a primary source for the rumor: The claims spread widely from there, with right-leaning American blog Gateway Pundit leading the charge in presenting it as an example of fake news in the making. According to multiple versions of the rumor, the Twitter user (@Markantro) happened across the scene of CNN's staging or fabricating a report on Muslims' protesting the attacks in London. But nothing suggested that CNN staged the demonstrations to any extent greater than engaging protesters, directing their positions, and asking them questions as part of a news segment. Those spreading the rumor claimed that the same person appeared in different videos wearing the same unique pink trousers, a dead giveaway that the person was a paid protester. However, rumor-mongers did not elaborate as to why multiple photographs of the same protester indicated perfidy rather than multi-outlet coverage of the same protest. The Daily Wire similarly speculated that the demonstrations were wholly falsified by CNN rather than simply reported on: Nothing in any of the rumors provided definitive (or even shaky) evidence that the protests were staged (by CNN or any other party) for the purposes of favorable media coverage. Mediaite's coverage of the claims highlighted the public's unfamiliarity with the process of reporting live news: CNN also provided a statement about the rumors terming them to be nonsense: CNN's Twitter public relations account responded to a tweet alleging that the coverage was staged, again describing the claims as nonsense: A source at CNN said that the reporters and equipment seen in the third-party video represented several news organizations, not just CNN, situated in front of a police cordon near London Bridge. The small group of Muslims at the demonstration (actually a vigil, according to the participants, who were there of their own volition) asked police for permission to cross the police barrier to be photographed. The police assented and escorted them into position. The shot was arranged only to the extent necessary to fit the group into the camera frame. A CNN source told us: That the demonstration was real, not staged, is clear from additional press coverage of the event. According to the BBC, the gathering was organized by the London Fatwa Council, who confirmed that their chairman, Shaykh Mohammad Yazdani, was present at the vigil to pay respects to the victims. He also issued the public statement excerpted below: Coverage by the Telegraph and the Standard included photos and video of participants placing flowers at the site: In short, the vigil was not a media invention. It was organized by the London Fatwa Council, a legitimate Islamic organization whose members have taken a vocal stand against terrorist attacks. Vigil participants were photographed, at their request, by international press organizations, including CNN. The charge that CNN or anyone else staged the event to hype a narrative of widespread Muslim opposition to the attacks is a politically motivated mischaracterization of what occurred. (en)
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