The incident highlights how online conspiracy theories, a sustained right-wing campaign to create increased fear of anti-fascist groups, and amplification of false claims by QAnon followers, have real consequences. "Rumors spread just like wildfire," the Douglas County Sheriff's Office warned in a Facebook post Thursday, adding that staff had been "overrun with requests for information and inquiries on an UNTRUE rumor that 6 Antifa members have been arrested for setting fires" in the area.That specific claim had been amplified by "Q" — the anonymous person or people behind QAnon — only 12 hours earlier. Early Thursday morning, "Q" posted a link to a tweet from Paul Joseph Romero Jr., a former US Senate candidate who lost his Republican primary in May, that falsely claimed the Douglas County Sheriff's Office had six Antifa "arsonists" in custody. CNN has reached out to Romero for comment. The post by "Q" was published on 8Kun, a successor to the messaging board 8chan, where users often posted hateful content. In 2019, 8chan was linked to at least three atrocities, including a shooting in El Paso, Texas that left 23 people dead. In the post that included Romero's tweet, "Q" suggested the fires were linked to "highly coordinated … domestic terrorism." President Donald Trump threatened earlier this year to label Antifa a terrorist organization, a move that experts say is unconstitutional. The wildfires sweeping the state have burned around 900,000 acres since they were first sparked amid fierce winds this week, forcing the evacuation of half a million people, Oregon officials said Thursday. At least five 4 people have died in the fires. An anonymous post to an obscure online site wouldn't normally merit much attention, but QAnon followers are fervent and persistent, and the FBI has labeled them a potential domestic terrorist threat.QAnon's followers believe there is a "deep state" within the US government that is controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles. According to the baseless conspiracy theory, the cabal is largely run by Democratic politicians and liberal celebrities — and Trump is trying to take them down. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Oregon also took to Facebook on Thursday asking people not to spread false information. "We are inundated with questions about things that are FAKE stories. One example is a story circulating that varies about what group is involved as to setting fires and arrests being made," they wrote, adding, "THIS IS NOT TRUE!"And police in the city of Medford said screenshots of what purported to be a Facebook post from the police department's account were fake. In the screenshot, a post showed a man's picture and claimed five people were arrested in connection with arson. "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 repRead More – Source
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