New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio demanded that a police officer in his city be fired after a viral video surfaced on Twitter showing the officer pulling a gun on a group of “protesters.” The only problem is the viral video clip was very misleading.
Hours after de Blasio called for the officer’s resignation the full clip came to light and showed the officer was responding to his supervisor being attacked by violent rioters, which was left out of the clip which went viral.
Fake news reporter Jake Offenhartz of the Gothamist posted the video, and to date has not taken it down, nor issued an easily visible disclaimer. “A source shared this video, which he says he took at around 10 pm near near 12th and Broadway. It appears to show an NYPD officer pointing a gun at protesters outside the Strand,” he tweeted.
A source shared this video, which he says he took at around 10 pm near near 12th and Broadway. It appears to show an NYPD officer pointing a gun at protesters outside the Strand pic.twitter.com/pCTNIYL7op
— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) June 1, 2020
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The New York City Police Benevolent Association (PBA) tweeted the full clip which told a much fuller story of the incident.
Now we have the full story: this police officer unholstered his weapon only after his supervisor was nearly killed with a brick. #FactsMatter pic.twitter.com/6PzqgI991I
— NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) June 1, 2020
The New York City mayor Bill de Blasio had condemned the officers actions, before knowing the full story, via the Daily Wire:
“There’s a video going around of a police officer in the middle of a situation that admittedly looked chaotic but where protesters were in front of that police officer,” de Blasio said. “That police officer drew his gun at some point yesterday. That to me, seeing that video was absolutely unacceptable. Now, I don’t know all the circumstances and we must know all the facts. There will be an immediate full investigation of that incident.”
“But I can say as a New Yorker, as your Mayor, as someone who understands that the vast majority of protestors are there peacefully, and even those who do have that violent intent are still human beings,” de Blasio continued. “We have to always know it is not the place of an officer to pull a gun in the middle of a crowd knowing that there are peaceful protesters in that crowd that is unacceptable. That is dangerous. I want you to note on that video how a superior officer immediately came over and moved that officer away from that crowd. That officer should have his gun and badge taken away today. There will be an investigation immediately to determine the larger consequences.”
Maybe Mayor de Blasio should wait until all the facts are known before condemning hard working police officers risking their lives to try and protect the city from violent anarchists.
Numerous media organizations also went with the story based on the misleading viral video, and to date Twitter has not fact checked or posted a warning on any of their false stories or tweets.
For example “People for Bernie” which has 235,000 followers sent this misleading tweet, with no consequence:
.@NYCMayor says to fire him, but watch the video. A white shirt, likely his supervisor, walks over and pats him on the back. He should’ve been removed immediately and gone home. The descalation practice that officers just learned from that is our leadership approves of this. https://t.co/JS0KvsOv0W
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) June 1, 2020
It appears fact checks are strictly for conservatives, Republicans and Trump supporters. Democrats and the media can lie with impunity if it means hurting President Trump and his supporters.