Haitian Times faces harassment over coverage of false pet-eating story

Journalists at The Haitian Times have faced harassment and racist threats after debunking a fake story claiming Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets. Despite the intimidation, the outlet remains committed to reporting the truth.

Journalists at The Haitian Times, a US news outlet covering the Haitian community, have faced harassment and racist threats after reporting on a false story that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people's pets, according to reports in the US media. The threats escalated to the point of police officers arriving at the home of one of the editors following a false crime report.

The fake story gained initial traction after a Springfield resident, Eric Lee posted on Facebook accusing Haitian immigrants of eating pets. Lee has since deleted the post and expressed regret for his actions.

The Haitian Times aggressively covered the debunking of the story, including the reactions to the false claim being brought up by former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance.

Following its coverage, journalists at the publication have been at the receiving end of threats and harassment. Publisher Garry Pierre-Pierre stated that while the site is taking security measures, they are not backing down from their journalistic duty.

"Our first duty is to tell the truth without fear or favour, and we have no fear,” Pierre-Pierre was quoted as saying by the AP.

The harassment reached a new level when Macollvie Neel, the special projects editor, was the target of a “swatting” incident. An email reporting a false crime at her home led police to her door. Neel had anticipated some form of escalation due to the hateful messages she had been receiving.

“This is a new form of domestic terrorism,” she said, adding that the experience has been intimidating, especially since the responding officers were unfamiliar with online harassment tactics like doxxing.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the harassment. Katherine Jacobsen, CPJ's US and Caribbean program coordinator, said, “It’s outrageous. We should not be having this conversation. Yet we are.”

The fake story comes amid increased immigration to the Midwest, which the Haitian Times has been covering. The site has highlighted how the controversy reflects a long-standing tension in the US regarding immigration. Despite the challenges, the publication has received support from several journalists, advocacy groups, and national organisations, including the NAACP. Pierre-Pierre expressed gratitude for the backing, noting, “I’m deeply touched.”