RALEIGH – The actual accounts of the May 1 ‘Red 4 Ed’ teacher (Democrat) rally consistently described the crowd as smaller than last year’s event. The waning interest in what more and more people understand to be a nakedly political agitation of the Left did not quite suit the purposes of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) and their Leftist activist friends, though. So, true to form, NCAE President Mark Jewell was quick to tweet a photo that gave the appearance of a huge crowd of red-wearing teachers on the Halifax Mall behind the legislature, boasting of their demands.
The problem is that the photo was a fake, apparently, and Jewell (and others) were almost immediately called out for the fake news. Even the Left-leaning Politifact NC outed Jewell as spreading misinformation with a doctored photo.
From PolitiFact NC:
“[…] On Wednesday afternoon, Jewell tweeted his appreciation of advocates who attended the rally.
“Thank you North Carolina. You showed up in mass to insist that the state fund our public school legislative priorities,” Jewell tweeted, along with two images.
The image on the left depicts a mighty crowd on Halifax Mall, the grassy field behind the legislature where ralliers congregated after marching through downtown Raleigh. Hardly any grass can be seen in the sea of red shirts — which was a red flag.
On Twitter, Jewell faced almost immediate pushback from some who alleged that the photo was altered. Earlier Wednesday, similar photos were posted (since deleted) on unverified Twitter accounts Organizing Action NC and the Student North Carolina Association of Educators at NC State University. […]
Jewell tweeted a photo that showed a sea of red education advocates covering most of the Halifax Mall, located behind the legislature. There was a crowd. However, the photo was altered to make the crowd look larger than it was in reality. We rate the statement False.”
What? A political activity on the Left was exaggerated to give them impression they have more support than they really do? Ya don’t say!
Next year, Jewell and other organizers should just come out in the open and title the protest the ‘Marxist March to Reelect Roy Cooper.’
Compare the real photos with the doctored ones at PolitiFact NC here.
Have a hot tip for First In Freedom Daily?
Got a hot news tip for us? Photos or video of a breaking story? Send your tips, photos and videos to tips@firstinfreedomdaily.com. All hot tips are immediately forwarded to FIFD Staff.
Have something to say? Send your own guest column or original reporting to submissions@firstinfreedomdaily.com.
