A Snopes Exclusive: The True Origins of the Anti-Lockdown Protests

See what Snopes.com is debunking today. [Web Version]( May 20, 2020 Daily Debunker A Snopes Exclusive: The True Origins of the Anti-Lockdown Protests Amid COVID-19 coronavirus stay-at-home orders in the U.S., Snopes writers Alex Kasprak and Bethania Palma pieced together "a sometimes second-by-second chronology" of the Facebook users who shared invites to anti-lockdown rallies in one hotspot: Michigan. By combining that data with “hundreds of pages of campaign-finance records and local news reports,” the writers demonstrated that the push came from “a small circle of fervent activists who have been protesting almost constantly since well before the onset of the pandemic.” The ladder of players in this investigation rises all the way to the family of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Numerous protests have created “the perception of widespread discontent with public health measures largely supported by the American populace, and are part of a campaign playbook self-evidently resulting in an increasingly radicalized base of Trump supporters as the 2020 general election approaches.” [Read more]( Fact Checks Is Kroger Requiring Employees to Repay Coronavirus Emergency Pay? An image showing a letter purportedly sent from the grocery chain to employees sparked outrage on social media. [Mixture]( Did COVID-19 Kill Chuck Norris? Norris, now 80, has been a frequent subject of hoaxes over the years. [False]( Are Cloth Masks Ineffective at Protecting Against COVID-19? The CDC recommends that members of the public use simple cloth face coverings in public settings to help slow the spread of the virus. [False]( Did Teen Activist Greta Thunberg Tell China to Stop Using Chopsticks? Some activists have noted the adverse impact disposable chopsticks have on the environment. [False]( Is ‘COV-19’ Inscribed on This Piece of 5G Equipment? An old piece of television equipment was used to further a conspiracy theory about 5G and COVID-19. [False]( Is This ‘Muzzles Are for Dogs and Slaves’ Protest Sign Real? Muzzles can serve a variety of purposes, but none includes preventing the transmission of infectious diseases through the air. [True]( Support the Fact Checks You Need Make a contribution to Snopes today. [Support]( In the News Pompeo Denies Retaliation But Won’t Explain Watchdog Ouster Pompeo told reporters that he was unaware of any investigation into allegations that he may have mistreated staffers by instructing them to run personal errands for him and his wife. [Read more]( Trump Flouts the Experts, Even in His Own Government Trump appears to be disregarding what has long been considered the special responsibility of the American president to set an example for the nation. [Read more]( Johnson & Johnson to Stop Selling Talc-Based Baby Powder in US, Canada Johnson & Johnson is ending sales of its iconic talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada, where demand has dwindled amid thousands of lawsuits claiming it has caused cancer. [Read more]( Cash, Long a Refuge in Uncertain Times, Now Under Suspicion No longer a thing to be shoved mindlessly into a pocket, tucked into a worn wallet, or thrown casually on a kitchen counter, money's status has changed during the virus era — perhaps irrevocably. [Read more]( Judge: Salvage Firm Can Recover Titanic’s Telegraph Machine A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a salvage firm can retrieve the Marconi wireless telegraph machine that broadcast distress calls from the sinking Titanic ocean liner. [Read more]( Staff Pick Is a Testicular Blow Exponentially More Painful Than Childbirth? There are no real winners in this contest. [Read more]( Snopes Media Group Inc. 864 Grand Ave #256 San Diego, CA 92109 © 1994-2020 by Snopes Media Group Inc. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes Media Group. [Manage Preferences]( [Unsubscribe](