Posts Spread Unfounded Claim of Race-Based Threat of Violence in Georgia

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Quick Take

Posts shared on Facebook make an unfounded claim of racially motivated threats of violence in Gwinnett County, Georgia, “from now until the Inauguration.” The county sheriff’s office said it had “not received any information indicating threats to any group(s) on or after election day.”

Full Story

The 2024 election season has seen a rash of political violence. There were two assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, one of which resulted in the death of a campaign rally attendee. An office used by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign team in Tempe, Arizona, was damaged by gunfire three times. Law enforcement officials also have seen a wave of threats against poll workers and political activists ahead of Election Day, the New York Times reported. 

Amid that atmosphere of violence and threats of violence, a chain of Facebook posts — citing an unnamed deputy in the Gwinnett County, Georgia, sheriff’s office — spread an unfounded claim of threats against Black women in Georgia.

The Facebook user who shared the post on Nov. 1 wrote, in part: “‘Hey ladies, I just received this from a friend who works in the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s office!!! Be on Alert… Last night, a deputy told a family that local White Supremacists/ KKK members originating out of Lexington, NC, are planning to attack from now until the Inauguration. They are plotting against Blacks, especially black women because in their eyes, we are easy targets! Please be vigilant! Try not to do anything alone, especially after dark! This is not a hoax or a rumor! The deputy showed paperwork that the police department has.”

Similar text was shared by other users on Facebook.

But the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page on Nov. 2 that it has not received any information on such threats.

“The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a circulating text thread suggesting potential attacks on African American women ‘from now through the inauguration.’ We have not received any information indicating threats to any group(s) on or after election day,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Hateful discourse such as this aims to instill fear in the community and disrupt us from exercising our constitutional rights. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office remains dedicated to protecting all citizens and we will continue to monitor and respond accordingly to all suspicious and threatening behavior.”

The sheriff’s office also said it is working with “local, state, and federal authorities to stay current on any potential threats surrounding the general election,” and it directed reports of threats to local law enforcement or the tip line, 770-619-6655.

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

Sources

Farrow, Fritz. “Harris campaign office in Arizona shot at for third time in a month, police say.” ABC News. 9 Oct 2024. 

Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office. Facebook post. 2 Nov 2024. 

McLean, Danielle. “Posts Misrepresent Police Reports Preceding Trump Rally in New York.” FactCheck.org. Updated 26 Sep 2024.

Thrush, Glenn, Adam Goldman, Alan Feuer and Eileen Sullivan. “Election Officials Face Torrent of Threats as Nov. 5 Looms.” New York Times. 25 Oct 2024.

Parker, Ned and Peter Eisler. “New cases of political violence roil U.S. ahead of contentious election.” Reuters. 21 Oct 2024.