CHARLOTTE, NC – Homeland Security has responded to a video making the rounds on social media earlier in November which asserts that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot “a Hispanic man” in Charlotte, North Carolina. Officials have since clarified that no such shooting occurred, noting the individual depicted in the video is a “criminal illegal alien” who endured an innocuous medical episode.
On November 16th, the social media account ICE of TikTok on X shared a video of an individual being loaded into an ambulance while on a stretcher, with the video bearing the caption, “ICE just shoot a Hispanic man in Milton Rd. Charlotte, N.C.” The video shared on X appears to have been lifted from another social media platform, ostensibly TikTok given the gimmick of the reposting account, and provides no additional context or sourcing to cement the claim made.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin got ahead of the matter before the video attained significant virality by itself on X, reposting the original thread on X while clarifying that no such shooting occurred and also affording critical context regarding the individual depicted in the video.
“No. This criminal illegal alien from Mexico had a panic attack and was taken to the hospital where he attempted to escape by climbing into the ceiling tiles from the hospital bathroom,” McLaughlin wrote, adding, “He was unsuccessful and was apprehended inside the ceiling by law enforcement. He has a prior arrest for assault.”
When it comes to agitprop, it often comes in two distinct varieties with typically one purpose regardless of the iteration: to promulgate certain ideas in order to foster political radicalization of a manipulatable population via political messaging in the arts or distortion and/or exaggeration of newsworthy events or topics.
This particular video coming out of Charlotte with an accompanying caption which is an outright fabrication of events is exactly the sort of agitprop utilized by bad actors who are attempting to politically activate and radicalize malleable individuals. While discerning minds can often spot agitprop for what it is or at least have the wherewithal to question proposed narratives lacking context or sources, critical thinking is not something generously distributed to the masses.
What’s particularly nefarious about videos like the aforementioned coming out of Charlotte with overtly fictional captions is what said caption is suggesting – that ICE agents are wantonly shooting individuals. Much like how Voltaire observed back in his 1765 book Questions sur les miracles, “Truly, whoever can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
Agitprop attempts like the Charlotte video are aiming to capitalize on those lacking certain mental faculties who could be convinced that federal agents are gunning down individuals indiscriminately. Because those sorts of individuals are the ones most likely to carry out an act that could result in a mass casualty event.
On November 16th, the social media account ICE of TikTok on X shared a video of an individual being loaded into an ambulance while on a stretcher, with the video bearing the caption, “ICE just shoot a Hispanic man in Milton Rd. Charlotte, N.C.” The video shared on X appears to have been lifted from another social media platform, ostensibly TikTok given the gimmick of the reposting account, and provides no additional context or sourcing to cement the claim made.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin got ahead of the matter before the video attained significant virality by itself on X, reposting the original thread on X while clarifying that no such shooting occurred and also affording critical context regarding the individual depicted in the video.
“No. This criminal illegal alien from Mexico had a panic attack and was taken to the hospital where he attempted to escape by climbing into the ceiling tiles from the hospital bathroom,” McLaughlin wrote, adding, “He was unsuccessful and was apprehended inside the ceiling by law enforcement. He has a prior arrest for assault.”
When it comes to agitprop, it often comes in two distinct varieties with typically one purpose regardless of the iteration: to promulgate certain ideas in order to foster political radicalization of a manipulatable population via political messaging in the arts or distortion and/or exaggeration of newsworthy events or topics.
This particular video coming out of Charlotte with an accompanying caption which is an outright fabrication of events is exactly the sort of agitprop utilized by bad actors who are attempting to politically activate and radicalize malleable individuals. While discerning minds can often spot agitprop for what it is or at least have the wherewithal to question proposed narratives lacking context or sources, critical thinking is not something generously distributed to the masses.
What’s particularly nefarious about videos like the aforementioned coming out of Charlotte with overtly fictional captions is what said caption is suggesting – that ICE agents are wantonly shooting individuals. Much like how Voltaire observed back in his 1765 book Questions sur les miracles, “Truly, whoever can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
Agitprop attempts like the Charlotte video are aiming to capitalize on those lacking certain mental faculties who could be convinced that federal agents are gunning down individuals indiscriminately. Because those sorts of individuals are the ones most likely to carry out an act that could result in a mass casualty event.
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments