06/07/2017 / By Frances Bloomfield
Once again, CNN has come under fire for doing what they do best as an outlet of fake news: creating a narrative. This time, it has to do with the recent London Bridge terror attacks, a counter-extremism demonstration set up by the network, and the video that captured it all. On the afternoon of June 4, a group from the London Fatwa Council, a charity that offers legal advice “in accordance with Islamic law”, arrived at a police cordon near the site of the attacks. On the video, the group can be seen moving into position behind the white tape while CNN reporter Becky Anderson stands nearby. Once the group had their anti-ISIS banners held up high and proud before the wall of cameras, Anderson delivered her report on the “poignant” scene.
The Twitter user who filmed the footage, @markantro, shared it on his Twitter page with the comment: “CNN creating the narrative #FakeNews.” The video has since garnered over 20,011 likes and 17,378 retweets on Twitter, and has even gained the attention of former US diplomat Richard Grenell. In his retweet of the video, Grenell wrote: “This is very disturbing.”
Both CNN and the demonstrators have hit back against critics. CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter responded to the flurry of accusations via Twitter, stating: “Far-right twitterers are misleading folks about this video. Bloggers saying CNN was caught ‘staging fake news’. Police allowed demonstrators thru cordon [sic] ‘so they could show their signs to the media, @CNNPR says. CNN, BBC, AP ‘simply filmed them doing so.”
In a comment chain underneath the original tweet, Mark Antro wrote: “CNN also timed this, BBC wanted to film it when they were on air, were having non [sic] of it.”
Mohammad Raza, a member of the London Fatwa Council, told the DailyMail.co.uk that the allegations were “completely false.” He elaborated: “Nothing was set up. We all decided to go down there. We are members of a faith foundation which includes Jewish, Christian and Muslim members. We went down there on our own initiative to lay flowers at the scene.”
A CNN representative who got in touch with Fox News on the matter stated that there was “nothing sinister going on here.”
Others beg to disagree.
“I urge people to watch [the video of the alleged staging]. It’s two and a half minutes,” said Fox News host Sean Hannity. He explained that the man in the white shirt can be seen directing the protesters to where they’re supposed to stand. Hannity then added that the same demonstrators can be seen at multiple sites across the city, which he noted was pointed by English columnist Katie Hopkins. (Related: CNN FAKES THE NEWS: Network runs news banner implying Jews are not real people to stir up HATE, then apologizes)
In light of these events, Hannity asks what we’re all thinking: “Does CNN have any credibility left?”
That’s a question with an answer that we should all know by now. CNN has no credibility left to give, and is beyond caring about it as long as they can sell these false stories which they’ve been actively pushing down our throats. Journalistic integrity is no longer essential to them, but is merely something they can toss aside when convenient. But really, were we supposed to expect something different from the “Clinton News Network”?
Visit Journalism.news for more stories about the news outlets that you can trust and those you shouldn’t.
Sources include:
Tagged Under:
CNN, corporate media, fake news
This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author
COPYRIGHT © 2017 HOAX NEWS