Authorities are investigating the deadly shootings outdoors the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, as hate crimes and ‘terrorism’.
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Printed On 28 Might 2025
Following the deadly taking pictures of two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, DC, final week, some social media customers claimed the incident was a “false flag” due to when and the place it occurred.
“So that you’re telling me two Israeli diplomats bought killed throughout the road from an FBI area workplace outdoors a Jewish museum that had *closed* 4 hours earlier,” mentioned a Might 22 X put up. “And at some point after Israel fired at European diplomats and Europe was speaking sanctions and also you don’t assume it’s a false flag?”
Different X posts equally speculated concerning the lethal taking pictures on Might 21.
The “false flag” phrase stems from the misuse of literal flags. Traditionally, a false flag operation referred to a navy pressure or a ship flying one other nation’s flag for deception functions.
Some confirmed false flag operations have occurred all through historical past. However they’ve been outpaced in recent times by conspiracy theories that label actual occasions as “false flags,” or an assault that’s designed to appear like it was perpetrated by one individual or get together, when the truth is it was dedicated by another person.
Unfounded false flag claims typically observe mass violence incidents, together with Israel’s warfare on Gaza, the 2022 Uvalde faculty taking pictures and the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.
Historians warn that social media rumours alleging that large information occasions are “false flags” needs to be seen sceptically. Actual false flag operations are logistically complicated and have a tendency to contain many individuals.
PolitiFact discovered no credible proof to assist the declare that the Israeli embassy workers’ taking pictures is a false flag.
What we all know concerning the taking pictures
The X put up mentioned the taking pictures, which occurred on a Wednesday, is a “false flag” as a result of the museum had closed 4 hours earlier. The museum often closes at 5pm on Wednesdays, aside from the primary Wednesday of every month, when it closes at 8pm.
Nonetheless, the American Jewish Committee hosted an occasion on Might 21 on the museum, scheduled to finish at 9pm.
Preliminary investigations say the taking pictures occurred after 9pm native time when the 2 victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, had been exiting an occasion on the Capital Jewish Museum, mentioned Pamela A Smith, the Metropolitan Police Division police chief, at a Might 21 press convention.
Police recognized the suspect as Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois. Rodriguez chanted, “Free, free, Palestine” after he was arrested, Smith mentioned. The Justice Division charged him with the homicide of overseas officers and different crimes.
The taking pictures, which has broadly been criticised, got here as Israel’s actions in Gaza has prompted a world outrage and protests calling for ceasefire.
Jeanine Pirro, interim US lawyer for the District of Columbia, mentioned on Might 22 that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime and “terrorism”.
The Capital Jewish Museum is diagonally throughout the road from the FBI’s DC area workplace. FBI Director Kash Patel and the Israeli authorities have condemned the taking pictures.
There isn’t a proof that the taking pictures was a false flag. We price this declare False.