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→‎Spreading conspiracy theories on social media: adding additional context to Loomer's remarks, as well as altering the heading to better reflect the variety of controversies in which Loomer was embroiled.
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Loomer disrupted an event promoting [[James Comey|James Comey's]] book ''[[A Higher Loyalty]]''. She was taken out of the building by security.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/383891-far-right-activist-interrupts-comey-book-event|title=Far-right activist interrupts Comey book event|first=Josh|last=Delk|date=19 April 2018|publisher=}}</ref>
Loomer disrupted an event promoting [[James Comey|James Comey's]] book ''[[A Higher Loyalty]]''. She was taken out of the building by security.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/383891-far-right-activist-interrupts-comey-book-event|title=Far-right activist interrupts Comey book event|first=Josh|last=Delk|date=19 April 2018|publisher=}}</ref>


In August 2018, Loomer confronted Minnesota Representative [[Ilhan Omar]] and Michigan House candidate [[Rashida Tlaib]] at a campaign event for Omar. In the edited video Loomer shouted to Tlaib, "Rashida, are you willing to admit as a congresswoman that [[Hamas]] is a terrorist organization?" Loomer then asked Omar why she was hateful toward Israel and why she married her brother. Omar had previously denied those rumors concerning her personal life.<ref name="Newsweek">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/ilhan-omar-laura-loomer-muslim-rashida-tlaib-video-1069942|title= WHO IS LAURA LOOMER? ACTIVIST ACCOSTS 'JIHADI' ILHAN OMAR, RASHIDA TLAIB AT CAMPAIGN EVENT|date= August 12, 2018|first=William|last=Mansell|website=www.newsweek.com|access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref>
In August 2018, Loomer disrupted a campaign event for Minnesota Representative [[Ilhan Omar]] attended by Michigan House candidate [[Rashida Tlaib]]. Loomer shouted questions which implied that Tlaib was anti-Semitic, and repeated as fact an unsubstantiated rumor that Tlaib had married her brother for immigration purposes.<ref name="Newsweek">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/ilhan-omar-laura-loomer-muslim-rashida-tlaib-video-1069942|title= Who Is Laura Loomer? Activist Accosts 'Jihadi' Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib at Campaign Event|date= August 12, 2018|first=William|last=Mansell|work=Newsweek|access-date=November 30, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Emma |title=Former Project Veritas staffer crashes Ilhan Omar campaign event in Minneapolis |url=http://www.startribune.com/former-project-veritas-staffer-crashes-ilhan-omar-campaign-event-in-minneapolis/490661421/ |accessdate=November 30, 2018 |work=Star Tribune |date=August 12, 2018}}</ref>


In September 2018, Loomer briefly disrupted a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Loomer accused [[Twitter]] CEO [[Jack Dorsey]], who was giving testimony before the committee, of censoring conservatives on the platform and of attempting to influence the election in favor of Democrats. Republican Representative [[Billy Long]], who was an auctioneer before joining Congress, drowned her shouting out with an [[auction chant]] until she was escorted from the building.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rep-billy-long-drowns-out-laura-loomer-during-hearing-with-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey/ |accessdate=5 September 2018 |agency=CBS News |date=September 5, 2018}}</ref>
In September 2018, Loomer briefly disrupted a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Loomer accused [[Twitter]] CEO [[Jack Dorsey]], who was giving testimony before the committee, of censoring conservatives on the platform and of attempting to influence the election in favor of Democrats. Republican Representative [[Billy Long]], who was an auctioneer before joining Congress, drowned her shouting out with an [[auction chant]] until she was escorted from the building.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rep-billy-long-drowns-out-laura-loomer-during-hearing-with-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey/ |accessdate=5 September 2018 |agency=CBS News |date=September 5, 2018}}</ref>

Revision as of 05:38, 30 November 2018

Laura Elizabeth Loomer
on InfoWars (2018)
Born (1993-05-21) May 21, 1993 (age 31)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materBarry University (BS)
Occupation(s)Journalist, activist
Political partyRepublican

Laura Elizabeth Loomer (born May 21, 1993) is a far-right[a] or alt-right[b] American political activist, conspiracy theorist, and Internet personality. She was a reporter for Canadian far-right website The Rebel Media during the summer of 2017, resigning that September.[1][2][3][4][5] Prior to June 2017, she worked for Project Veritas with James O'Keefe.[2]

Early life

Loomer was raised in Arizona. She attended Mount Holyoke College and, after transferring schools, graduated from Barry University[6] with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.[7] She is Jewish.[8]

Views

Loomer has described herself as a nationalist, and has described immigration as a threat to American heritage.[9] Fortune has described Loomer as a "far-right provocateur".[10]

Loomer has denounced the alt-right, and has publicly repudiated white supremacist Richard B. Spencer, who coined the term, and has refused to share a stage with him. Loomer has received anti-semitic threats and harassment from the alt-right following this dispute.[8] Despite this, Loomer has been described as being part of the alt-right movement,[b] as well as alt-light.[6][9][11]

Loomer has promoted a number of conspiracy theories, mostly related to mass shootings; falsely insinuating that school shootings in Santa Fe, Texas and Parkland, Florida were staged, and that the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooter was affiliated with ISIS.[12][13][14]

Career

Loomer is a former employee of James O'Keefe, a conservative activist known for producing selectively edited undercover video investigations.[15] Until her resignation in September 2017, Loomer was the New York correspondent for the conservative Canadian far-right news site The Rebel Media, which has been referred to as the "Canadian Breitbart."[6][16]

Activism

In March 2015, Loomer used a concealed video camera to record her conversations with Barry University officials, discussing the idea of starting a club called "Sympathetic Students in Support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria." The official responded by asking her to change the name to "Students in Support of the Middle East." The video of her encounter was released by James O'Keefe with Project Veritas.[6] O'Keefe alleged that Loomer's video captured a university official unfazed at the notion of starting an on-campus organization that would support ISIS.[17] Shortly after the edited video was released by O'Keefe, Loomer was suspended by Barry University for violating the student code of conduct rules; criminal charges were also filed against her for taping university officials without their knowledge or consent.[18] At the time, Loomer was an honors student in her senior year, the president of Barry University's Young Republicans Club, and majoring in communications.[19]

According to a Clinton campaign official, in July 2015 Loomer and two other women posing as supporters of Hillary Clinton attempted to "entrap" campaign workers into accepting illegal cash donations. The official said that the campaign had complied with the law.[20]

On November 8, 2016, the day of the presidential election, Loomer went to a polling station dressed in a burqa and asked for a ballot under the name of Huma Abedin.[2]

In June 2017, Loomer gave a speech to a crowd of anti-sharia marchers in New York City and condemned "liberals who aligned themselves with sharia law."[21] Loomer put a burqa on the Fearless Girl statue adjacent to the Merrill Lynch building.[22]

On June 7, 2017, at a Chelsea Clinton book signing event in New York City, Loomer asked Chelsea to sign a copy of her new children's book She Persisted to Juanita Broaddrick, one of former President Bill Clinton's most persistent accusers. The former first daughter refused to sign it.[23]

In January 2018, an associate recorded Loomer riding the service elevator that Stephen Paddock had used to transport numerous firearms used in the 2017 Las Vegas Shooting. Loomer rode the elevator from the ground floor to the 32nd floor four times without permission of the hotel and was not engaged by Mandalay Bay hotel security. Wynn had previously said, "No public person has ever ridden a service elevator (at a Wynn property) unless they were accompanied by security."[24]

Loomer attended the March 2018 trial of Noor Salman under press credentials, which were revoked after Loomer harassed Salman's family. Loomer returned to the trial the next day and was removed by a U.S. marshal.[25]

Loomer disrupted an event promoting James Comey's book A Higher Loyalty. She was taken out of the building by security.[26]

In August 2018, Loomer disrupted a campaign event for Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar attended by Michigan House candidate Rashida Tlaib. Loomer shouted questions which implied that Tlaib was anti-Semitic, and repeated as fact an unsubstantiated rumor that Tlaib had married her brother for immigration purposes.[27][28]

In September 2018, Loomer briefly disrupted a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Loomer accused Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who was giving testimony before the committee, of censoring conservatives on the platform and of attempting to influence the election in favor of Democrats. Republican Representative Billy Long, who was an auctioneer before joining Congress, drowned her shouting out with an auction chant until she was escorted from the building.[29]

Handcuff incident

In November 2018, Loomer was banned from Twitter for a tweet criticizing Ilhan Omar. The tweet called Omar "anti Jewish", and said that she is a member of a religion in which "homosexuals are oppressed" and women are "abused" and "forced to wear the hijab."[30] A week following the ban, she handcuffed herself to the front door of the Twitter headquarters in New York City in protest while wearing a yellow "Jude" patch.[31] After approximately two hours, police removed the handcuffs with a bolt cutter.[32] Loomer was not arrested.

Julius Caesar play disruption

On June 16, 2017, Loomer disrupted the Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after Caesar was assassinated.[33] Before being escorted off the stage by security, Loomer shouted "Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!"[34] The play portrayed a "Trump-like" Caesar with a Slovenian-accented wife.[35] Loomer, who is pro-Trump, was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing.[36][37] The Public Theater responded by saying although they're "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media".[38] On June 19, 2017, Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post wrote that she didn't believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, and that she disrupted it for attention and to collect a $1,000 bounty that was offered to anyone who would disrupt the production.[39]

On June 19, 2017, as a guest on the Fox News program Hannity, Loomer admitted she knew that disrupting the Shakespeare in the Park play would result in criminal charges against her. During the interview, Loomer compared the "Trump-like" Caesar assassination to a May 2017 video of former CNN host Kathy Griffin holding a mask of a bloody severed head of President Donald Trump, Loomer called the Caesar play and the Griffin video "assassination porn" and accused the "left" of a systematic pattern of using free speech and art as a pretext to promote violence against Donald Trump and the "right".[40]

On June 20, 2017, The Daily Beast reported that 'Free Laura', a website for soliciting donations for her arrest, was purchased by Loomer's employer Ezra Levant, the owner of The Rebel Media, six hours before the play started, according to domain records.[41] Loomer was also promoting separately a WeSearchr page for donations, that had received $12,385 from 241 contributors, receiving more money in donations than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.[42]

Controversial social media postings

On November 1, 2017, Loomer tweeted that she was late to a conference because she could not find a "non Muslim cab or @Uber @lyft driver". Following this, both Uber and Lyft announced that she had violated their guidelines and was banned from using their services.[43]

After the May 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, Loomer implied on Twitter that the tragedy was actually staged, prompting concerns about the spread of misleading information and conspiracy theories by troll farms and social bots.[10]

In July 2018, Loomer tweeted an article by Gateway Pundit that a man arrested with bomb-making equipment and illegal weapons had been a "leftist Antifa terrorist".[44] The alleged bomber's Facebook profile, however, contained postings condemning Antifa as "militant" and "dangerous", and the suspect's brother described the accused as "conservative".[44] Loomer later rebutted criticisms of her tweet by saying that she "didn't write the story", and that she would continue to cover the matter even if the bomber turned out to be a supporter of Donald Trump. [44]

In October, during the October 2018 United States mail bombing attempts, targeted at prominent Democratic politicians, Loomer tried to spread the false conspiracy theory that the bombing attacks were a "false flag" operation by the Democrats.[45][46][47]

On November 21, 2018, The Daily Beast reported Loomer was permanently banned from Twitter for allegedly violating their rules on hate speech in a tweet referencing Ilhan Omar, a recently elected Democratic US congresswoman. In the tweet, Loomer described Omar, a Muslim, as "pro Sharia", "pro FGM", and "anti Jewish". [48] On November 29, Loomer handcuffed herself to the door of Twitter's New York City office and announced she was joining a lawsuit that alleged bias by social media companies against conservatives.[49]

References

Informational notes

  1. ^ Sources describing Loomer as "far-right" include:
  2. ^ a b Sources describing Loomer as "alt-right" include:

Citations

  1. ^ "Rebel Media Loses Another High-Profile Contributor". Canadalandshow.com. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Behind the Scenes with the Right-Wing Activist Who Crashed "Julius Caesar"". The New Yorker. June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Woman who stormed stage during controversial Julius Caesar is arrested". Belfast Telegraph. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "This is violence against Donald Trump': rightwingers interrupt Julius Caesar play". The Guardian. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  5. ^ "'Do you want Trump to be assassinated?'; Rebel Media reporter arrested after storming stage of Shakespeare play with Trump-like Caesar". The Toronto Sun. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Feldman, Ari (July 14, 2017). "Laura Loomer Is The Jewish Voice Of The Far Right. Can She Tame Jew Haters?". The Forward. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  7. ^ Foreman, Sean D.; Dewhirst, Robert, eds. (2015). The Roads to Congress 2014. Lexington Books. p. 409. ISBN 978-1-4985-1719-5.
  8. ^ a b Feldman, Ari (September 5, 2018). "Jewish 'Alt-Right' Woman Takes On Richard Spencer Amid Infighting". The Forward. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Krupkin, Taly (22 June 2017). "The Jewish Provocateur Caught in the Turf War as the 'Alt-right' Battles the 'Alt-light'". Haaretz. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  10. ^ a b Morris, David Z. (May 19, 2018). "Trolls and Bots Moved Fast to Politicize Texas School Shooting on Social Media". Fortune. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  11. ^ Marantz, Andrew (6 July 2017). "The Alt-Right Branding War Has Torn the Movement in Two". The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  12. ^ Palma, Bethania. "Conspiracy Theories Immediately Appear After Santa Fe School Shooting". Snopes. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  13. ^ Weill, Kelly; LaPorta, James (February 21, 2018). "InfoWars Sends Professional Troll Laura Loomer to Parkland". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  14. ^ Sommer, Will (June 27, 2018). "Jack Posobiec and Laura Loomer Fight for Credit Over Vegas Shooting Conspiracy Theory". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  15. ^ "Two Protesters Disrupt 'Julius Caesar' in Central Park". New York Times. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017. the conservative activist known for selectively edited undercover video investigations.
  16. ^ "Blogger booed off stage after rushing 'Julius Caesar'". New York Post. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  17. ^ "Group Claims Barry University Approved Pro-ISIS Club". NBCMiami.com. March 30, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  18. ^ "Barry University professor files criminal complaint against student". www.local10.com. April 9, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  19. ^ "Barry University faculty accused of supporting Islamic State terrorists". www.local10.com. March 30, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  20. ^ "Clinton Campaign On Alert For Undercover Conservative Sting". Time.com. August 21, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  21. ^ "At NYC 'Anti-sharia' Rally, White Nationalists and Conservative Jews Find Common Ground". Haaretz. June 10, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  22. ^ "Two Trump/Pizzagate Supporters Tried To 'Shutdown' A Shakespeare Play And Got Arrested For Their Efforts". Uproxx. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  23. ^ "Cringe Video: Chelsea Asked to Sign Book for Bill Clinton-Accuser Juanita Broaddrick". Fox News. June 7, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  24. ^ "Mandalay Bay security tested as two reach 32nd floor without permission". fox5vegas. January 30, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  25. ^ Jeltsen, Melissa (March 29, 2018). "Far-Right Activist Thrown Out Of Courthouse At Pulse Nightclub Trial". Huffington Post.
  26. ^ Delk, Josh (19 April 2018). "Far-right activist interrupts Comey book event".
  27. ^ Mansell, William (August 12, 2018). "Who Is Laura Loomer? Activist Accosts 'Jihadi' Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib at Campaign Event". Newsweek. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  28. ^ Nelson, Emma (August 12, 2018). "Former Project Veritas staffer crashes Ilhan Omar campaign event in Minneapolis". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  29. ^ Watson, Kathryn (September 5, 2018). "Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing". CBS News. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  30. ^ "Twitter bans far-right activist Laura Loomer". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  31. ^ Wong, Queenie (2018-11-29). "Right-wing activist Laura Loomer handcuffs herself to Twitter's NYC office". CNET. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  32. ^ "Far-right activist Laura Loomer cuffed herself to Twitter's NYC headquarters; police removed her". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  33. ^ "Two Protesters Disrupt 'Julius Caesar' in Central Park". New York Times. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  34. ^ "Pro-Trump protester arrested after rushing stage at controversial 'Julius Caesar' production in New York". The Washington Post. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  35. ^ "Pro-Trump protester storms stage at 'Julius Caesar' performance". New York Daily News. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  36. ^ "Pro-Trump Protester Arrested After Rushing Stage at 'Caesar' Play in Central Park". NBC News. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  37. ^ "Pro-Trump Protesters Interrupt 'Shakespeare in the Park' Performance of 'Julius Caesar". Time. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  38. ^ "Laura Loomer, woman who stormed stage during 'Julius Caesar,' is arrested". The Washington Times. June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  39. ^ "Trolls, hypocrites and performance artists are trying to hack our lives. Don't let them". The Washington Post. June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  40. ^ "'Assassination Porn': Activist Defends Disrupting NYC Trump Stabbing Play". Fox News. June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  41. ^ "The Domain Troll Behind Pro-Trump Stunts". The Daily Beast. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  42. ^ ""Julius Caesar" stage crasher nets financial windfall". Salon. June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  43. ^ Tani, Maxwell. "Uber and Lyft ban far-right activist who complained about Muslim Uber drivers". Business Insider. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  44. ^ a b c Kludt, Tom. "Right-wing media called him a leftist terrorist. He appears to be a pro-gun conservative". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
  45. ^ Collins, Ben and Abbruzzese, Jason (October 26, 2018) "After 'false flag' narrative takes hold, some conservatives scramble to drown out far right" NBC News
  46. ^ Swift, Jim (October 25, 2018) "The Children of Alex Jones" The Weekly Standard
  47. ^ Sommer, Will and Weill, Kelly (October 24, 2018) "Trump Allies Insist Bomb Threats Against Clinton, Obama, CNN Are 'Pure BS,' a 'False Flag'" The Daily Beast
  48. ^ Sommer, Will (November 22, 2018). "Twitter Bans Far-Right Activist Laura Loomer". The Daily Beast.
  49. ^ Fisher, Alyssa (November 29, 2018). "Loomer Joins Suit Against Twitter For 'Discrimination' Against Conservatives". The Forward.
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