Aurora Police authorities have dismissed the allegation that an armed gang has seized an immigrant complex in the city of Colorado. There has been speculation suggesting that the individuals involved may be affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang, which originates from Venezuela.
Aurora’s interim police chief did not completely dismiss the possibility of gang members being present in the area. However, she firmly refuted the notion that gangs had taken control of the complex. In response to this, the city’s Republican mayor acknowledged the incident as part of a wider “environment of hysteria” and acknowledged that public outcry had hindered the authorities’ ability to respond promptly.
The conspiracy had already spread like wildfire among conservative outlets, prompting Republican candidate Donald Trump to claim that Venezuelans had taken over “parts of the city,” by the time the statements from Aurora authorities were released.
Trump on the Venezuelans that took over a building complex in Aurora, Colorado: "Venezuelan gang members have taken over parts of the city because these stupid people leading our country are allowing these criminals to come into our country… we’re going to get them the hell out… pic.twitter.com/wvm0jFTQpO
— Resist Times (@resistupdates) August 30, 2024
The event in Aurora is not an isolated incident. It is part of a larger trend where there have been recent viral claims about immigrants performing acts that have been either mischaracterized or completely made up. This trend has led authorities from cities like Chicago and San Diego to step in and provide timely and credible evidence to debunk these fake news stories.
However, some of these claims have gained enough attention to be widely promoted by influential individuals like Elon Musk and former President Trump, which has further fueled anti-immigrant sentiment leading up to the presidential election in November.
Conservative media shares false story of school bus being kidnapped by “illegal aliens” in San Diego
Last week, a number of conservative social media influencers spread a misleading story claiming that “illegal aliens” had attempted to “hijack” several California school buses in San Diego on August 27 and 28. Even Fox News joined in on the dissemination of this false information.
According to a spokesperson from the Sheriff’s Department, local authorities have clarified that the incidents involved migrants approaching school buses at stops. It is important to note that no crimes were committed and no hijacking attempts were made. This information was reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
“Sheriff’s deputies determined that no one forcefully tried to stop or enter the school buses, therefore no crime was committed. It is not uncommon for community volunteers and charitable organizations to provide resources in these parts of the county, some of which operate vehicles similar to school buses.”
According to MSNBC, authorities reported that several migrants were detained and processed for removal, and no criminal activity was reported.
Right-wing personalities, including Elon Musk, are spreading false claims about a migrant takeover happening in Chicago.
In Chicago’s Washington Park neighborhood, a fabricated story unfolded this week when a 911 call reported the presence of 32 armed Venezuelans trespassing at a local building. This call quickly gained attention and went viral, largely due to Elon Musk, who reposted it. As a result, over 44 thousand of his followers also shared the post.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 3, 2024
According to the Chicago Tribune, local residents and Chicago police have confirmed that the alleged incident did not occur. The call was considered unfounded, and as a result, no police report was filed.
Anderson Gutierrez, a Venezuelan resident of the neighborhood, vehemently denies the presence of 32 armed individuals last night. According to Gutierrez, this claim is a complete falsehood. He points out that there is no one outside at the moment and emphasizes the tight-knit nature of the community, asserting that nobody is causing harm to anyone else.
Ald. Jeanette Taylor, whose ward includes the building, also confirmed that migrants were not causing chaos at the property on Monday. She emphasized that her community knows that migrants are not “taking over” and expressed her opinion on why such rhetoric is being spread around.
“It’s better for them to make it seem like Black and brown people fight amongst each other, than for them to deal with the real issue and create real policies that make everybody safe.”
