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  • 2019-07-01 (xsd:date)
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  • Did Protesters Throw ‘Concrete Milkshakes’? – Truth or Fiction? (en)
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  • Did Protesters Throw ‘Concrete Milkshakes’? Claim Police in Portland, Oregon determined that anti-fascist activists mixed quick-dry concrete and caustic chemicals into milkshakes that were both thrown and consumed. Rating Not True Like this fact check? Reporting Dueling protests became dueling narratives in Portland, Oregon on June 29 2019 when clashes erupted between Proud Boys attendees and anti-fascist demonstrators, quickly devolving into rumors that milkshakes thrown at one person contained one or more damaging or caustic substances — including quick-dry concrete, quicklime, and caustic chemicals. Rumors to that effect were spread by the verified Portland Police account as protests continued: Police have received information that some of the milkshakes thrown today during the demonstration contained quick-drying cement. We are encouraging anyone hit with a substance today to report it to police. — Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 29, 2019 According to that tweet, police in Portland received information that some of the milkshakes thrown contained quick-drying cement. Approximately half an hour later, video game blogger Ian Miles Cheong tweeted without citation or evidence that the milkshakes contained quicklime in addition to concrete mix, and that they would produce chemical burns in addition to being heavy: This HuffPost writer @letsgomathias deleted this tweet celebrating Antifa’s milkshaking of a journalist. Florida is where wokes go to die... Please enable JavaScript Florida is where wokes go to die The milkshakes were lined with quicklime/quick dry concrete mix and produce chemical burns, in addition to being heavy. pic.twitter.com/orQi1ikruv — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 30, 2019 Claims of concrete in milkshakes solidified, as it were, after Quillette writer Andy Ngo was pelted with a milkshake. The day before the Portland protests, Ngo tweeted a claim that he was concerned for his safety ahead of the rallies: I am nervous about tomorrow’s Portland antifa rally. They’re promising physical confrontation & have singled me out to be assaulted. I went on Tucker Carlson last year to explain why I think they’re doing this: They’re seeking meaning through violence. https://t.co/kpkESjsOmI pic.twitter.com/J45MMshyyK — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 28, 2019 Just before 12:30 PM local time, Ngo shared a photograph to Twitter depicting a backpack with what was presumably milkshake spattered on it: Peaceful protest pic.twitter.com/u2gaMYOHF5 — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 29, 2019 Roughly an hour later, Ngo shared a video about a clash with anti-fascist protesters and additional updates: https://t.co/B8Gh4KQxFS — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 29, 2019 Attacked by antifa. Bleeding. They stole my camera equipment. No police until after. waiting for ambulance . If you have evidence Of attack please help — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 29, 2019 On way to hospital. Was beat on face and head multiple times in downtown in middle of street with fists and weapons. Suspects at large. — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 29, 2019 Ngo also retweeted a reporter’s tweet about the purported clash: First skirmish I’ve seen. Didn’t see how this started, but @MrAndyNgo got roughed up. pic.twitter.com/hDkfQchRhG — Jim Ryan (@Jimryan015) June 29, 2019 Notably, Ngo’s tweets did not show any evidence of concrete, quicklime, chemical burns, or anything else substantiating any of the subsequent rumors of adulterated milkshakes: In the ER. pic.twitter.com/spe5N4nzVl — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 29, 2019 As is often the case, the quickly moving story became embellished with claims supported by stock images (not photographs of injuries sustained at the rally). One popular tweet used a 2011 photograph stolen from DeviantArt to claim that attendees sustained chemical burns from adulterants in the milkshakes: Misleading pics feature in the cement milkshake narrative. @javier_pan01's image of a supposedly milkshake-induced chemical burn is a stock photo, and @JackPosobiec 's speculation that a specific picture shows folks mixing cement milkshakes has been debunked by the photographer. pic.twitter.com/LPdhmcSege — Conspirador Norteño (@conspirator0) June 30, 2019 On June 30 2019, people on Twitter continued to ask @PortlandPolice to substantiate the rumors they spread about concrete in milkshakes as reporters filed information requests. A spokesperson for that account responded to questions, but failed to corroborate the claims that the account spread: https://twitter.com/katemshepherd/status/1145357521487458306 https://twitter.com/katemshepherd/status/1145492073224650753 As reporter Katie Shepherd noted , an email shared by the Portland police as evidence of concrete in milkshakes was received after their tweet was sent — not before: https://twitter.com/katemshepherd/status/1145507264050020352 Additionally, users pointed out that the thrown milkshakes were clearly liquid, defeating the point of concrete in the first place, and that even a small amount of sugar (an important ingredient in milkshakes, even vegan ones) disrupts the process of cement or concrete drying to the point that it is well known as an inhibitor . Logistically, thrown milkshakes were either liquid (rendering concrete a pointless addition) or solid, the aims of which could be easily achieved by throwing rocks or bricks instead: https://twitter.com/ashelteredstorm/status/1145217999604875265 It doesn't make sense anyways. Wouldn't the concrete dry in the cups if they just stood around holding concrete milkshakes? — Turbonium2K (@Turbonium2K) June 30, 2019 Oh: if you don’t understand why this super secret plan to turn milkshakes into bricks makes no sense, it’s that when you add more than 1% sugar to concrete, it doesn’t set. Like, you cannot turn a milkshake into a brick. It’s chemistry. — steveklabnik (@steveklabnik) June 30, 2019 Common sense. Think this thru. Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to throw rocks instead of buying milkshakes and concrete mix? ̄_(ツ)_/ ̄ — The Wisdom of Crowds (@CrowdWisdoms) June 30, 2019 By July 1 2019, no one had appeared with any concrete-related injuries relating to milkshakes, either by ingesting them or being pelted by them. Nevertheless, news articles from that same day bore headlines like Protestors threw milkshakes containing ‘quick-drying cement’ as far-left and far-right groups clashed in Portland, according to police. Inaccurate claims spread during clashes in Portland are not the first time milkshaking-related disinformation has been spread in smear form, nor is it the first time such rumors were reported as news by multiple news organizations. Although tweets claiming that Portland police had confirmed that milkshakes at the rallies contained quick-dry cement, quicklime, or other caustic chemicals accrued tens of thousands of shares, those rumors were false and unfounded. Posted in Disinformation , Fact Checks Tagged agitprop , andy ngo , antifa , milkshake , milkshaking , portland , portland police , proud boys , twitter , viral tweets (en)
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