Off Topic All new conspiracy thread
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Hang those cake eating murderers!
The Light: Inside the UK’s conspiracy theory newspaper that shares violence and hate
Image caption,
Darren Nesbit, editor of the Light, defended calls in his paper to use force against "aggressors"
By Marianna Spring
BBC disinformation and social media correspondent
A UK conspiracy theory newspaper sharing calls for trials and executions of politicians and doctors has links with the British far-right and a German publication connected to a failed coup attempt, the BBC can reveal.
The Light, which prints at least 100,000 copies a month and has more than 18,000 followers on the social media site Telegram, grew to be a focal point of the UK conspiracy theory movement with its anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown stance during the pandemic.
In its pages and on its corresponding Telegram channels, the Light has shared hateful and violent rhetoric towards journalists, medics and MPs, as well as platforming far-right figures accused of antisemitism.
The paper is handed out free by volunteers in dozens of towns across the country, where local leaders have accused it of inflaming division and harassment with false and misleading claims about vaccines, the financial system and climate change, amid other more mundane articles on local politics, health and wellness.
Articles and content shared by the Light have called for the government, doctors, nurses and journalists to be punished for "crimes against humanity" in war crime-style trials sometimes called "Nuremberg 2.0" - referring to the execution of Nazi Party members after World War Two.
Recent articles declare "It's just a matter of time before these worst perpetrators of war crimes are facing trial" like in "November 1945" and "MPs, doctors and nurses can be hanged".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65821747
The Light: Inside the UK’s conspiracy theory newspaper that shares violence and hate
- Published
10 hours ago
You must log in or register to see images
Image caption,
Darren Nesbit, editor of the Light, defended calls in his paper to use force against "aggressors"
By Marianna Spring
BBC disinformation and social media correspondent
A UK conspiracy theory newspaper sharing calls for trials and executions of politicians and doctors has links with the British far-right and a German publication connected to a failed coup attempt, the BBC can reveal.
The Light, which prints at least 100,000 copies a month and has more than 18,000 followers on the social media site Telegram, grew to be a focal point of the UK conspiracy theory movement with its anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown stance during the pandemic.
In its pages and on its corresponding Telegram channels, the Light has shared hateful and violent rhetoric towards journalists, medics and MPs, as well as platforming far-right figures accused of antisemitism.
The paper is handed out free by volunteers in dozens of towns across the country, where local leaders have accused it of inflaming division and harassment with false and misleading claims about vaccines, the financial system and climate change, amid other more mundane articles on local politics, health and wellness.
Articles and content shared by the Light have called for the government, doctors, nurses and journalists to be punished for "crimes against humanity" in war crime-style trials sometimes called "Nuremberg 2.0" - referring to the execution of Nazi Party members after World War Two.
Recent articles declare "It's just a matter of time before these worst perpetrators of war crimes are facing trial" like in "November 1945" and "MPs, doctors and nurses can be hanged".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65821747
https://rumble.com/v2phe1y-marianna...dited-interview-with-darren-nesbit-edito.html
here’s the full version of Spring’s chat with Nesbit. It’s 3 hours long, so I doubt many will have time to listen, but as per usual, the bbc have misrepresented what these people are highlighting.
Nuremberg 2.0's strange path to New Zealand
Charlie Mitchell05:00, Jul 03 2023
Early in the pandemic, when hospitals were filling up and societies were closing down, some had already turned their minds to retribution. Those frustrations were channelled into fantasies of ‘Nuremberg 2.0’, a criminal trial for those behind the pandemic response. The saga has headed down a strange path, ending with a fake New Zealand courtroom.
He has been described as the new Alex Jones: Blasting conspiracy theories like a human firehose, while guiding his large audience through the latest apocalyptic outrages.
It was significant, then, when Stew Peters devoted a segment to the collapse of New Zealand late last year. The country was once seen as a “safe haven”, Peters said. Now, it was hopelessly compromised by tyranny.
To help him analyse the situation, he had a guest: Antoinette James, a Taupō based author and homeschooling advocate.
More from Stuff:
* Wellington mayor Tory Whanau denies claims of drunken public behaviour
* Doctor tells woman to drink '4 cans of Coca-Cola' to remove chicken bone from throat
* Highways shut, cars trapped as snow keeps falling in the south, chance snow will close Desert Road
James is somewhat obscure even within the constellation of New Zealand’s so-called freedom fighters. She was a candidate for the doomed political vehicle Advance NZ, and has a modest online following.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But she had promised to reveal “the key to freedom for the world” – a method for how New Zealand could be used to seek justice.
“Antoinette hopes, like we do, to establish a true people’s court to hold fake scientists, killer doctors, and tyrannical Government officials accountable for what they’ve done,” Peters said in his introduction.
“We like that message...”
STUFF
A scene from the protests at parliament.
For almost as long as the coronavirus pandemic has existed, people have wanted retribution for the response.
Most of these efforts are informal; lists on Telegram of public figures who risk being arrested and executed, a manifestation of primal bloodlust. Others are more polished; advertised as investigative committees with lawyers and exhibits.
The shorthand for these efforts is “Nuremberg 2.0”, named for the post-war trials of Nazis and their collaborators. In New Zealand, the term has adorned signs and T-shirts at protests and litters many a politician and journalist’s email inbox.
A protester at Parliament waves the United Tribes flag, which is associated with Māori sovereignty expressed in He Whakaputanga.
There has been one massive roadblock to Nuremberg 2.0. You need jurisdiction for a criminal trial; otherwise, you’re just kidnapping people.
This is what James was offering. A jurisdiction.
“All of the cabal, all those who have perpetuated this scamdemic, the poison needle, the forcing it on our children, our babies… we can bring these perpetrators to our court and lawfully try them through our processes,” she told Peters.
“We have our own judiciary, our sheriffs are being trained now. Yes, it’s early days, but we have to learn on the job. We have to be proactive.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
“We can’t wait around – it’s either us or them.”
Crimes of genocide
This “court” is not the New Zealand judiciary, or something most people would recognise as having judicial powers.
It is instead a made-to-order vessel for the frustrated supporters of Nuremberg 2.0.
James, who is Pākehā, is a member of the Wakaminenga Māori Government (WMG), a sovereign citizen (SovCit) group that wants to set up a parallel society.
The group came to notoriety in the early 2000s when some of its members dressed up as police officers and demanded money from Gisborne moteliers. The plot led to several arrests, including of the group’s self-proclaimed Prime Minister, Sue Nikora.
The group had also issued Māori driver’s licences and Māori passports, which were sometimes sold to immigrant workers. It even had a paramilitary wing led by the (Pākehā) conspiracy theorist Kelvyn Alp.
The basis for the group’s existence is convoluted, but it centres on He Whakaputanga, the 1835 Declaration of Independence signed by dozens of northern Māori chiefs.
Numerous Māori scholars have studied how this document slots into New Zealand’s history. It is typically seen as an assertion of rangatiratanga (self-determination), evidence that the Treaty of Waitangi’s signatories were not ceding sovereignty, which grants it significant importance.
KATHRYN GEORGE/STUFF
SovCits are present in New Zealand.
Nearly two centuries later, another interpretation has become popular in conspiracy communities: He Whakaputanga established a literal sovereign nation that is separate from the New Zealand Government.
The Māori Government has no formal recognition. It is a tiny SovCit group undertaking bizarre schemes for mostly symbolic reasons. After its brush with notoriety, it was quickly dismissed and disappeared from public view.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But it has gained a second life during the pandemic – an era favourable to tiny sovereign-citizen groups undertaking bizarre schemes for mostly symbolic reasons.
Those who no longer want to be governed by the democratically elected Government can enrol with the WMG, and be governed by its version of tikanga, rather than codified laws.
It has formed a health council led by a (Pākehā) dentist associated with New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science (NZDSOS). It is setting up an education council, of which James is a member.
And now, it says, it has a criminal court that will hear cases brought by its members.
The first case has already been lodged.
“[The case] has been brought by the members of the Wakaminenga Maori Government on behalf of all the people of New Zealand,” the group said in a statement.
“The case deals with alleged breaches of the sovereign law of He Wakaputanga and crimes of genocide and against humanity.”
2 MINUTES OF STUFF
The day's talking point and stories you don't want to miss, delivered to your inbox
Sign up now
The court’s creation followed a months-long back and forth with the global face of Nuremberg 2.0.
Dr Reiner Fuellmich, a German lawyer, rocketed to online fame in 2020 for his attempts to bring various people to justice.
He was a member of the “Corona Committee”, an informal group of lawyers who collected evidence to be used in a trial for crimes against humanity.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
Fuellmich became a fixture in conspiracy theory media; his videos notched up millions of views, and he was interviewed worldwide, including multiple times by New Zealand’s Voices for Freedom. The results of his investigation were keenly awaited the world over.
But the committee hit a wall. It had no jurisdiction.
Unable to have an actual trial, it held a fake one instead. Filmed on a set in early 2022, with lawyers and witnesses beaming in through Zoom, Fuellmich claimed there was no pandemic, and the response by Governments was a deliberate effort to institute global tyranny and depopulate the Earth.
“It is only us, the people, who will make a difference,” he said.
“We will put an end to this. We will make sure there will be clean-up afterwards, including the procedures that are necessary in order to bring to justice those who have committed these crimes against humanity.”
CORONA COMMITTEE
Dr Reiner Fuellmich holding a mock trial.
After that, it all fell apart. Fuellmich was accused of embezzling money from the committee and was exiled. As its public face, he took much of its support with him and has since revived his committee under a different name.
This time, he says, the trial will be for real.
“They may be able to slow us down, but they’re not going to be able to stop us,” he said in a recent video which has been watched more than 130,000 times.
“And when I say us, I mean the Māori, because they are centre stage here.”
‘This is not a warning’
An alliance between an obscure sovereignty group and a famous German lawyer might seem unusual.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But it makes perfect sense in the borderless world of online conspiracy theories, where shared fantasies swirl free of physical geography.
In this world, it is not suspicious that a supposed International Court of Justice would be crowdfunding on BuyMeACoffee.com, or that a sovereign Government’s postal address is a post office box in Te Awamutu.
There has been no apparent interrogation of the group’s history or the merit of its claims.
By his account, Fuellmich had been alerted to James’ interview in late 2022 and contacted the WMG. The more he learned about He Whakaputanga and tikanga, the more he realised it was precisely the jurisdiction they needed.
“Once this is started, I think a lot of people have a lot to worry about,” he said in a recent video.
“It’s not just that they’re independent, but they even have the means to enforce the judgements this court will render.”
(It is unclear what is meant by enforcement. Neither Fuellmich nor the WMG responded to emailed questions for this story).
The exact nature of the trial – or who the defendants will be – remains unclear. Fuellmich has said it will “go after those who are responsible in New Zealand” at first before spreading further.
He said its success would rely on gaining the support of New Zealanders.
“We need the support of the people – not just the Māori, but everyone else in that country, or as many as possible,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
“That’s what gives the whole thing legitimacy, and we think that by the end of August we’ll be ready to go.”
Newsable…The podcast that will make you smarter, funnier, and better-looking*
Listen now
Failure is almost certain. The court, like many of the claims likely to be lodged within it, is fake. Defendants will not submit to be tried for vague crimes based on unwritten laws.
It may not matter.
The thirst for justice has been a powerful driving force, which has manifested in unsettling ways: the noose that appeared at the Parliament occupation; the regular death threats directed at public figures; an assault on a public official; an across-the-board coarsening of public discourse.
The ceremony of a trial that claims to be attached to a legitimate judicial system – one that appropriates Māori identity and indigenous people in general to lend itself a veneer of legitimacy - risks unearthing the rage that never really disappeared.
What happens if crimes against humanity are proven at Nuremberg 2.0, and the “convicted” ignores the judgement?
With his many thousands of followers sure to be watching with interest, Fuellmich hopes the upcoming trial in New Zealand will see justice finally served.
“We will hold all of those who are responsible to account,” he said in another recent video.
“Everyone. Whether in politics, medicine, science, the media, the judiciary, or even in the resistance - we are coming for you.
“Buckling up, by the way, will not help. This is not a warning; this is a promise.”
Charlie Mitchell05:00, Jul 03 2023
Early in the pandemic, when hospitals were filling up and societies were closing down, some had already turned their minds to retribution. Those frustrations were channelled into fantasies of ‘Nuremberg 2.0’, a criminal trial for those behind the pandemic response. The saga has headed down a strange path, ending with a fake New Zealand courtroom.
He has been described as the new Alex Jones: Blasting conspiracy theories like a human firehose, while guiding his large audience through the latest apocalyptic outrages.
It was significant, then, when Stew Peters devoted a segment to the collapse of New Zealand late last year. The country was once seen as a “safe haven”, Peters said. Now, it was hopelessly compromised by tyranny.
To help him analyse the situation, he had a guest: Antoinette James, a Taupō based author and homeschooling advocate.
More from Stuff:
* Wellington mayor Tory Whanau denies claims of drunken public behaviour
* Doctor tells woman to drink '4 cans of Coca-Cola' to remove chicken bone from throat
* Highways shut, cars trapped as snow keeps falling in the south, chance snow will close Desert Road
James is somewhat obscure even within the constellation of New Zealand’s so-called freedom fighters. She was a candidate for the doomed political vehicle Advance NZ, and has a modest online following.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But she had promised to reveal “the key to freedom for the world” – a method for how New Zealand could be used to seek justice.
“Antoinette hopes, like we do, to establish a true people’s court to hold fake scientists, killer doctors, and tyrannical Government officials accountable for what they’ve done,” Peters said in his introduction.
“We like that message...”
You must log in or register to see images
STUFF
A scene from the protests at parliament.
For almost as long as the coronavirus pandemic has existed, people have wanted retribution for the response.
Most of these efforts are informal; lists on Telegram of public figures who risk being arrested and executed, a manifestation of primal bloodlust. Others are more polished; advertised as investigative committees with lawyers and exhibits.
The shorthand for these efforts is “Nuremberg 2.0”, named for the post-war trials of Nazis and their collaborators. In New Zealand, the term has adorned signs and T-shirts at protests and litters many a politician and journalist’s email inbox.
You must log in or register to see images
A protester at Parliament waves the United Tribes flag, which is associated with Māori sovereignty expressed in He Whakaputanga.
There has been one massive roadblock to Nuremberg 2.0. You need jurisdiction for a criminal trial; otherwise, you’re just kidnapping people.
This is what James was offering. A jurisdiction.
“All of the cabal, all those who have perpetuated this scamdemic, the poison needle, the forcing it on our children, our babies… we can bring these perpetrators to our court and lawfully try them through our processes,” she told Peters.
“We have our own judiciary, our sheriffs are being trained now. Yes, it’s early days, but we have to learn on the job. We have to be proactive.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
“We can’t wait around – it’s either us or them.”
Crimes of genocide
This “court” is not the New Zealand judiciary, or something most people would recognise as having judicial powers.
It is instead a made-to-order vessel for the frustrated supporters of Nuremberg 2.0.
James, who is Pākehā, is a member of the Wakaminenga Māori Government (WMG), a sovereign citizen (SovCit) group that wants to set up a parallel society.
The group came to notoriety in the early 2000s when some of its members dressed up as police officers and demanded money from Gisborne moteliers. The plot led to several arrests, including of the group’s self-proclaimed Prime Minister, Sue Nikora.
The group had also issued Māori driver’s licences and Māori passports, which were sometimes sold to immigrant workers. It even had a paramilitary wing led by the (Pākehā) conspiracy theorist Kelvyn Alp.
The basis for the group’s existence is convoluted, but it centres on He Whakaputanga, the 1835 Declaration of Independence signed by dozens of northern Māori chiefs.
Numerous Māori scholars have studied how this document slots into New Zealand’s history. It is typically seen as an assertion of rangatiratanga (self-determination), evidence that the Treaty of Waitangi’s signatories were not ceding sovereignty, which grants it significant importance.
You must log in or register to see images
KATHRYN GEORGE/STUFF
SovCits are present in New Zealand.
Nearly two centuries later, another interpretation has become popular in conspiracy communities: He Whakaputanga established a literal sovereign nation that is separate from the New Zealand Government.
The Māori Government has no formal recognition. It is a tiny SovCit group undertaking bizarre schemes for mostly symbolic reasons. After its brush with notoriety, it was quickly dismissed and disappeared from public view.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But it has gained a second life during the pandemic – an era favourable to tiny sovereign-citizen groups undertaking bizarre schemes for mostly symbolic reasons.
Those who no longer want to be governed by the democratically elected Government can enrol with the WMG, and be governed by its version of tikanga, rather than codified laws.
It has formed a health council led by a (Pākehā) dentist associated with New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science (NZDSOS). It is setting up an education council, of which James is a member.
And now, it says, it has a criminal court that will hear cases brought by its members.
The first case has already been lodged.
“[The case] has been brought by the members of the Wakaminenga Maori Government on behalf of all the people of New Zealand,” the group said in a statement.
“The case deals with alleged breaches of the sovereign law of He Wakaputanga and crimes of genocide and against humanity.”
2 MINUTES OF STUFF
The day's talking point and stories you don't want to miss, delivered to your inbox
Sign up now
The court’s creation followed a months-long back and forth with the global face of Nuremberg 2.0.
Dr Reiner Fuellmich, a German lawyer, rocketed to online fame in 2020 for his attempts to bring various people to justice.
He was a member of the “Corona Committee”, an informal group of lawyers who collected evidence to be used in a trial for crimes against humanity.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
Fuellmich became a fixture in conspiracy theory media; his videos notched up millions of views, and he was interviewed worldwide, including multiple times by New Zealand’s Voices for Freedom. The results of his investigation were keenly awaited the world over.
But the committee hit a wall. It had no jurisdiction.
Unable to have an actual trial, it held a fake one instead. Filmed on a set in early 2022, with lawyers and witnesses beaming in through Zoom, Fuellmich claimed there was no pandemic, and the response by Governments was a deliberate effort to institute global tyranny and depopulate the Earth.
“It is only us, the people, who will make a difference,” he said.
“We will put an end to this. We will make sure there will be clean-up afterwards, including the procedures that are necessary in order to bring to justice those who have committed these crimes against humanity.”
You must log in or register to see images
CORONA COMMITTEE
Dr Reiner Fuellmich holding a mock trial.
After that, it all fell apart. Fuellmich was accused of embezzling money from the committee and was exiled. As its public face, he took much of its support with him and has since revived his committee under a different name.
This time, he says, the trial will be for real.
“They may be able to slow us down, but they’re not going to be able to stop us,” he said in a recent video which has been watched more than 130,000 times.
“And when I say us, I mean the Māori, because they are centre stage here.”
‘This is not a warning’
An alliance between an obscure sovereignty group and a famous German lawyer might seem unusual.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
But it makes perfect sense in the borderless world of online conspiracy theories, where shared fantasies swirl free of physical geography.
In this world, it is not suspicious that a supposed International Court of Justice would be crowdfunding on BuyMeACoffee.com, or that a sovereign Government’s postal address is a post office box in Te Awamutu.
There has been no apparent interrogation of the group’s history or the merit of its claims.
By his account, Fuellmich had been alerted to James’ interview in late 2022 and contacted the WMG. The more he learned about He Whakaputanga and tikanga, the more he realised it was precisely the jurisdiction they needed.
“Once this is started, I think a lot of people have a lot to worry about,” he said in a recent video.
“It’s not just that they’re independent, but they even have the means to enforce the judgements this court will render.”
(It is unclear what is meant by enforcement. Neither Fuellmich nor the WMG responded to emailed questions for this story).
The exact nature of the trial – or who the defendants will be – remains unclear. Fuellmich has said it will “go after those who are responsible in New Zealand” at first before spreading further.
He said its success would rely on gaining the support of New Zealanders.
“We need the support of the people – not just the Māori, but everyone else in that country, or as many as possible,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
“That’s what gives the whole thing legitimacy, and we think that by the end of August we’ll be ready to go.”
Newsable…The podcast that will make you smarter, funnier, and better-looking*
Listen now
You must log in or register to see images
Failure is almost certain. The court, like many of the claims likely to be lodged within it, is fake. Defendants will not submit to be tried for vague crimes based on unwritten laws.
It may not matter.
The thirst for justice has been a powerful driving force, which has manifested in unsettling ways: the noose that appeared at the Parliament occupation; the regular death threats directed at public figures; an assault on a public official; an across-the-board coarsening of public discourse.
The ceremony of a trial that claims to be attached to a legitimate judicial system – one that appropriates Māori identity and indigenous people in general to lend itself a veneer of legitimacy - risks unearthing the rage that never really disappeared.
What happens if crimes against humanity are proven at Nuremberg 2.0, and the “convicted” ignores the judgement?
With his many thousands of followers sure to be watching with interest, Fuellmich hopes the upcoming trial in New Zealand will see justice finally served.
“We will hold all of those who are responsible to account,” he said in another recent video.
“Everyone. Whether in politics, medicine, science, the media, the judiciary, or even in the resistance - we are coming for you.
“Buckling up, by the way, will not help. This is not a warning; this is a promise.”
You must log in or register to see images
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody)
@AOCpressTwo
·
5h
From Barack Obama, Bill Gates, to Nancy Pelosi
- it's so nice of them to buy 20-million-dollar oceanfront homes so they can be on the frontlines of global warming.
Thanks to their selfless sacrifice, they'll be first to warn us when the icecaps melt and big flood begins.
Hawaii wildfires: 'Directed energy weapon' and other false claims go viral
Related Topics
Image caption,
The fires have been the subject of false posts that have spread rapidly online
By Shayan Sardarizadeh and Mike Wendling
BBC Verify and BBC News
False claims about the deadly wildfires in Hawaii - including that shadowy forces orchestrated the disaster with a laser beam - have gained traction online.
The misleading posts come from a variety of sources and accounts, but generally imply that "elites" or government agencies deliberately started the fires.
Some of the most popular theories are couched in questions about a "narrative" and make claims that alternative views are being "censored", despite collecting millions of views.
While there are specific rumours circulating about Maui, they fit into a general pattern repeatedly seen after extreme weather events and natural disasters - politically motivated activists seeking to downplay the potential impact of climate change.
'Energy weapon'
Videos and images claiming that the wildfires were not a natural disaster - and were instead caused by a "directed energy weapon", a "laser beam" or explosion - have been viewed millions of times.
One video viewed 10 million times claims to show a large explosion in Maui just before the fires.
But the video was originally a viral clip shared on TikTok in May showing a transformer explosion in Chile.
Chilean TV network Chilevisión ran a report on the viral video, confirming the explosion was the result of a blown transformer caused by strong wind.
An image of a church on fire in Hawaii has been viewed 9 million times, with people claiming it shows a laser beam rising from the church into the sky.
However, the image has been digitally altered. No laser beam or ray of light can be seen in the original Associated Press photo, which shows the Waiola Church in Lahaina in flames on 8 August.
Two other false images have been racking up huge numbers of views.
One shows a fireball and a bright streak of light rising up towards the night sky. It, too, has been accompanied by claims that wildfires are not a natural phenomenon.
But a search on the internet for previous versions of this image reveals the photo shows a controlled burn at an Ohio oil refinery and was first posted online in January 2018. The streak of light, known as a "light pillar", is an optical illusion formed by reflections off ice crystals on a cold day.
A similar image claims to show a huge beam of light in Maui just before the wildfires. But it shows the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in California in May 2018.
Why are trees standing?
There are claims circulating about videos from Maui showing some trees still standing while houses and vehicles have been burned, with people pointing to the pictures as "evidence" that the fires were deliberately set or that their real cause is being hidden from the public.
One post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, includes a video of the destruction and the message: "Everything is burnt but the trees, but don't point that out or you're a conspiracy theorist." That post has been seen more than 24 million times.
But the photo - which was challenged by X's Community Notes feature, where users add context and facts around viral content - clearly shows burnt vegetation, along with some still-standing palm trees.
Some plants, known as pyrophytes, have adapted to survive wildfires due to thermal insulation or other means.
'Elite land grab'
Alongside the "directed energy weapon" rumours, speculation spread in viral posts that some of the island's rich inhabitants and second-home owners deliberately started the wildfires to grab valuable land in Lahaina.
One viral video includes claims by a podcaster that native landowners in Maui have refused to sell land to investment management companies and rich locals. He notes the false "directed energy weapon" rumours before going on to speculate that there might be something to them because news outlets have called the rumours "conspiracy theories".
Another viral thread was seen 10 million times on an X account that frequently spreads false information debunked by Community Notes. It includes a list of wealthy people who purportedly own property on Maui, a video including aerial footage of Lahaina, and claims that the pattern of destruction is suspicious.
The cause or causes of the fires on Maui are still unknown, but no real evidence has emerged to suggest they were deliberately started as part of a land grab.
X did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
- Published
1 hour ago
Related Topics
You must log in or register to see images
IMAGE SOURCE,EPAImage caption,
The fires have been the subject of false posts that have spread rapidly online
By Shayan Sardarizadeh and Mike Wendling
BBC Verify and BBC News
False claims about the deadly wildfires in Hawaii - including that shadowy forces orchestrated the disaster with a laser beam - have gained traction online.
The misleading posts come from a variety of sources and accounts, but generally imply that "elites" or government agencies deliberately started the fires.
Some of the most popular theories are couched in questions about a "narrative" and make claims that alternative views are being "censored", despite collecting millions of views.
While there are specific rumours circulating about Maui, they fit into a general pattern repeatedly seen after extreme weather events and natural disasters - politically motivated activists seeking to downplay the potential impact of climate change.
'Energy weapon'
Videos and images claiming that the wildfires were not a natural disaster - and were instead caused by a "directed energy weapon", a "laser beam" or explosion - have been viewed millions of times.
One video viewed 10 million times claims to show a large explosion in Maui just before the fires.
You must log in or register to see images
IMAGE SOURCE,X (TWITTER)But the video was originally a viral clip shared on TikTok in May showing a transformer explosion in Chile.
Chilean TV network Chilevisión ran a report on the viral video, confirming the explosion was the result of a blown transformer caused by strong wind.
An image of a church on fire in Hawaii has been viewed 9 million times, with people claiming it shows a laser beam rising from the church into the sky.
You must log in or register to see images
IMAGE SOURCE,X (TWITTER)However, the image has been digitally altered. No laser beam or ray of light can be seen in the original Associated Press photo, which shows the Waiola Church in Lahaina in flames on 8 August.
Two other false images have been racking up huge numbers of views.
One shows a fireball and a bright streak of light rising up towards the night sky. It, too, has been accompanied by claims that wildfires are not a natural phenomenon.
You must log in or register to see images
IMAGE SOURCE,X (TWITTER)But a search on the internet for previous versions of this image reveals the photo shows a controlled burn at an Ohio oil refinery and was first posted online in January 2018. The streak of light, known as a "light pillar", is an optical illusion formed by reflections off ice crystals on a cold day.
A similar image claims to show a huge beam of light in Maui just before the wildfires. But it shows the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in California in May 2018.
Why are trees standing?
There are claims circulating about videos from Maui showing some trees still standing while houses and vehicles have been burned, with people pointing to the pictures as "evidence" that the fires were deliberately set or that their real cause is being hidden from the public.
One post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, includes a video of the destruction and the message: "Everything is burnt but the trees, but don't point that out or you're a conspiracy theorist." That post has been seen more than 24 million times.
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IMAGE SOURCE,X (TWITTER)But the photo - which was challenged by X's Community Notes feature, where users add context and facts around viral content - clearly shows burnt vegetation, along with some still-standing palm trees.
Some plants, known as pyrophytes, have adapted to survive wildfires due to thermal insulation or other means.
'Elite land grab'
Alongside the "directed energy weapon" rumours, speculation spread in viral posts that some of the island's rich inhabitants and second-home owners deliberately started the wildfires to grab valuable land in Lahaina.
One viral video includes claims by a podcaster that native landowners in Maui have refused to sell land to investment management companies and rich locals. He notes the false "directed energy weapon" rumours before going on to speculate that there might be something to them because news outlets have called the rumours "conspiracy theories".
Another viral thread was seen 10 million times on an X account that frequently spreads false information debunked by Community Notes. It includes a list of wealthy people who purportedly own property on Maui, a video including aerial footage of Lahaina, and claims that the pattern of destruction is suspicious.
The cause or causes of the fires on Maui are still unknown, but no real evidence has emerged to suggest they were deliberately started as part of a land grab.
X did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
This one is simple, it was less than a year ago, that two residents of the island started six bush fires. I'd put money on some arsonist or careless individual is to blame again.
No one remember the old uk ads years ago on tv, about carelessly discarded cigarettes out of car windows?
(soz didn't realise this was on the QPR board lol)
The part of Hawaii that got destroyed by the wildfires was a prime land next to luxury mega mansions. How the hell the fire knew to avoid the part of the island where these celebrities have their multi million dollar houses?
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Wally
@yankeewally2
Let's not forget why I am targeted. I believe 100% that mm never gave birth to her children. evidence is overwhelming. This affects the line of succession. All Royal children must be born "of the body" of the mother. This didn't happen #surrogate ty
@SkateLikeAGirl8
