Online rumours claim that police have arrested several individuals affiliated with either the Antifa movement or “The Proud Boys” organisation for starting many of the wildfires spreading across the US West Coast.
Such messages frequently point to Medford, in South Oregon. Examples as they appeared on social media are below.
5 PROUD BOYS ARRESTED FOR ARSON
Medford Police arrested five people in connection with a strong of fires throughout the area yesterday, thanks to anonymous tops. One person saw truck with people leaving scene of fire heading east around 6PM yesterday and police found several firestarting implements in the back of the truck. Thanks to community for looking out, stay safe and follow official pages for information.
Another NEW fire in Medford just now started. This is unreal! It’s the antifa burning EVERYTHING down! They arrested several & they were all like going into seizures BECAUSE they ate POSSESSED! The Democrats are panicking because they know their LIFE is almost up! EXECUTIONS!
What’s False? There is no evidence that there is any type of coordinated or mass attempt at starting wildfires by any followers of a specific political ideology. Police have publicly dismissed claims that members of either Antifa or The Proud Boys groups have been arrested for starting fires.
What’s True? There have been a handful of isolated arrests related to arson in the three worst affected states. One of those arrested was of a man who has links to the Black Lives Matter movement, has been involved in several street protests and has also expressed anti-war and pro-immigration sentiments, though he has not shown to be directly involved with Antifa or part of any coordinated plan to start fires.
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In September 2020, a series of wildfires have spread across the US West Coast, primarily affecting the states of California, Oregon and Washington. Soon after the fires began to spread, social media rumours have claimed many (or all) of the wildfires had been started deliberately by members of the politically left Antifa group or the politically right “Proud Boys” organisation.
Despite these viral claims, there has been no verified reports that any groups that identify directly with either Antifa or Proud Boys are responsible for starting the wildfires, which have been caused [largely] by exceptionally dry weather conditions. The US is currently in the middle of its annual dry season where wind driven wildfires frequently occur.
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Many of these rumours have attributed the arson claims to Medford in Oregon. However the police department in Medford in South Oregon have dismissed claims that they have arrested anyone affiliated with Antifa or the “Proud Boys” after a fake graphic purporting to come from the Medford Police Department circulated online.
This is a made up graphic and story. We did not arrest this person for arson, nor anyone affiliated with Antifa or “Proud Boys” as we’ve heard throughout the day. Also, no confirmed gatherings of Antifa which has also been reported.
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Thank you
Similar claims also targeted the Douglas County area in Oregon, and county’s Sheriff’s Office also had to take to social media to dispel the false claims.
Remember when we said to follow official sources only. Remember when we said rumors make this already difficult incident even harder? Rumors spread just like wildfire and now our 9-1-1 dispatchers and professional staff are being overrun with requests for information and inquiries on an UNTRUE rumor that 6 Antifa members have been arrested for setting fires in DOUGLAS COUNTY, OREGON.
THIS IS NOT TRUE! Unfortunately, people are spreading this rumor and it is causing problems.
Do your part, STOP. SPREADING. RUMORS! Follow official sources of information such as local emergency response websites and pages, government websites and pages and local reputable news outlets.
Please, share far and wide!
While the majority of the wildfires have occurred due to testing weather conditions in the United States, there have indeed been isolated cases of arson, including the arrest of Elias Pendergrass who was arrested on arson charges in Mapleton, Oregon on September 1st. However Pendergrasse’s ideologies or motives are unknown.
Additionally, on September 9th 2020, police in Puyallup in Washington arrested 36 year old Jeffrey Accord. Accord had originally called the emergency services after claiming to have spotted a fire on a Puyallup highway but was soon arrested by police on suspicion of starting the fire (Accord had live streamed his own arrest on Facebook.) According to Accord’s social media profiles, he has previously been involved in the Black Lives Matter protests and has also attended various social justice protests (where he was arrested in 2014 on concealed weapon charges.) He has also expressed pro-immigration and anti-war sentiments. However we were unable to find any direct affiliation between Accord and the Antifa movement specifically, and there is currently no indication that his motives for starting the fire in Puyallup was influenced by his political ideologies, or that he was working in conjunction with anyone else.
As such, broad claims that the wildfires are being intentionally started by followers of a particular ideology (including Antifa and The Proud Boys) are lacking in substance and evidence, and we rank them false.