Status: 12.09.2024 07:52
In the TV debate against Kamala Harris, Donald Trump took up refuted rumors that Haitian migrants steal and eat pets. The Haitian government reacted with sharp criticism.
In the TV debate against the Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, her Republican rival Donald Trump made several claims for which there is no evidence. One of them: In the city of Springfield in the US state of Ohio, Haitian migrants are stealing pets to eat them. Representatives of the city describe this as untrue. Now the Haitian government has responded.
The Haitian Ministry for Nationals Living Abroad clearly rejected the former US President’s statement. Such claims not only violate the dignity of migrants, they “could endanger their lives,” the agency warned in a post on the short message service X.
The Haitian government expressed its “deep concern” about discriminatory rumors of this kind. However, it is not the first time that Haitian citizens abroad have been “stigmatized and dehumanized” in disinformation campaigns during election campaigns:
Several Republicans spread claims on social media
The allegations about Haitian migrants in Springfield have been circulating online for some time. Other versions of the rumor say that Haitians hunt ducks and geese in parks and slaughter them.
The posts were shared by several prominent members of the Republican Party, including Trump’s running mate JD Vance and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. However, Vance admitted in passing at X on Tuesday that it could of course turn out that these rumors are false.
City and police deny rumors
The city of Springfield also responded to the rumors, also on Tuesday, before the TV debate between Harris and Trump.
A spokeswoman said: “In response to recent rumors of criminal activity by immigrants in our city, we want to clarify that there are no credible reports or specific allegations that pets belonging to individuals from the immigrant community have been harmed, injured or abused.” Mayor Rob Rue also dismissed the claims as “absolutely false.”
City police also said there was no evidence that pets had been stolen or eaten.
