Snopes Collection: George Floyd Protests
Misinformation abounds in the wake of nationwide protests.
On Memorial Day 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd died after officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his throat for roughly nine minutes. Video of his death kicked off a protest movement — first in Minneapolis, then in cities around the United States and other countries — which has been met with fierce backlash from law enforcement officials and others.
The protests have set off waves of unrest and, with it, misinformation. Snopes is actively investigating rumors and claims around the death of Floyd and subsequent protests. We’ll be collecting them here.
If you see a rumor or claim that should be checked, you can send Snopes a tip.
Did ‘Antifa’ Recruit Protesters on Craigslist in Nebraska?
“We are ANTIFA, and we're willing to pay up to 1,000 people $25 per hour for protester,” one ad allegedly said.
Was Pushed Buffalo Protester an ‘Antifa’ Agitator?
To support a claim like this, one wants some evidence other than a slow motion video of a man waving a cell phone.
Is This a Pic of a ‘Beheaded’ Christopher Columbus Statue?
The photo of the explorer surfaced in early June 2020.
Were Several Cops Killed at George Floyd Protests?
Misleading memes have misrepresented or mislabeled the circumstances of several officers' deaths.
Did Obama Foundation Share Pic of George Floyd 9 Days Before He Died?
A May 2020 Obama Foundation tweet became the focus of a new conspiracy theory.
Is This Photo of an Officer Aiming a Rubber Bullet Gun Near a Child Real?
The photographer described the image as "the most impactful picture I have ever taken."
Does This Flyer Accurately Represent Derek Chauvin’s Police Actions?
Here's what we know so far about the now-fired Minneapolis police officer who spurred protests in dozens of U.S. cities over racial disparities in policing in May 2020.
Did the Internet Go Dark in D.C. During White House Protests?
The origin of the rumor — that internet and cell service went dark during police brutality protests near the White House — can be traced to a single Twitter account.
Does This Picture Show Hitler Holding a Bible?
U.S. President Donald Trump's use of force to clear an area in front of a church occupied by protesters drew comparisons to world dictators.
Did Members of the NYPD Wear ‘I Can Breathe’ Shirts in 2020 Protest?
A photograph showing men in "I Can Breathe" shirts, holding signs supporting the New York Police Department, went viral after the death of George Floyd.
Did Zoo Animals Escape During George Floyd Protests?
Tigers, giraffes, and hippos, oh my!
Did ‘The Simpsons’ Predict George Floyd’s Death?
Predictions are typically made prior to the event they are predicting.
Does This Video Show an FBI Agent Arrested During 2020 Protests?
This video was originally shared as an example of racial profiling.
Is This Ex-Minn. Cop Derek Chauvin Wearing a ‘Make Whites Great Again’ Hat?
Chauvin is the former Minneapolis police officer identified in news reports as the killer of George Floyd.
Is This ‘Ricky Ellsworth,’ a White Woman Killed by Black Minnesota Cop?
A viral meme got key facts wrong while attempting to make a point about police violence and racial injustice in the U.S.
Did Derek Chauvin Commit Suicide in Prison?
Junk news in, junk news out.
Does Video Show Police Officer Smashing Windows During Minn. Protests?
St. Paul Police Department issued a statement about the man depicted in the controversial video.
Did George Floyd and Then-Officer Derek Chauvin Work Together in Minneapolis?
Questions surfaced about the possibility that a Minneapolis police officer knew the man who died after the officer kneeled on his neck in May 2020.
Did Trump Praise Then-Minneapolis Cop Derek Chauvin at Rally?
Chauvin has been blamed for the death of George Floyd, who died after the Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, choking him.
Is ProtestJobs.com a Real Service for Hiring Protesters?
"Most in the FAKE NEWS media will claim there's no such thing as a paid liberal protester."
Is This an Instruction Manual for George Floyd Protesters?
Democrats, antifa, and George Soros are the usual bogeymen claimed to be behind liberal political protests.
Was This McDonald’s Burned During Floyd Protests?
Grease fires are an occupational hazard at restaurants, protests or no protests.
Is This a Real Anarchist Recruitment Flyer?
"We condemn those who would undermine our democracy by spreading lies to our fellow citizens"
Did Trump Tweet George Floyd’s Family Was ‘Honored to Hear from Me’?
Controversy over the Minnesota man's death was stoked in a fake tweet attributed to President Donald Trump.
Does This Video Show ‘Child Militia’ Deployed in Atlanta?
A short, sketchy social media video created a misleading impression of forces called out to deal with protests in Atlanta.
Did Twitter Slap a Warning Label on a Trump Tweet for ‘Glorifying Violence’?
The U.S. president's tweets about May 2020 protests of police in Minneapolis generated heated reactions.
Did Trump and George Wallace Both Say, ‘When the Looting Starts, the Shooting Starts’?
The president's use of this infamous quote in May 2020 raised questions about its origins.
Is This a Photograph of a KKK Gathering in Mississippi?
As protests grew following the death of a black man while in police custody in May 2020, a viral photo purported to show members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered in Mississippi.
Does This Picture Show George Floyd with a Bible?
Floyd was a devout Christian who mentored others.