A US-based website posted a dangerously bizarre claim on October 8, 2020, that “tens of thousands” of Chinese troops are massing in British Columbia and Vancouver’s Stanley Park, in advance of an invasion of Canada and the United States. The post calls on people to arm themselves and prepare for an imminent invasion.
The post claims that:
“PLA troops are troops being stationed in Stanley Park (almost an entire island of a park) in Vancouver, as temporary housing until they are assigned something permanent…. Canadians say THEY CANNOT GO INTO THAT PARK because it is taken over by China’s People’s Liberation Army! Anyone trying to enter the park is stopped by Vancouver police and refused entry unless they are PLA troops!”
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau is connected to the non-existent event: “That’s how that fucking traitor Trudeau’s arranged it with Beijing, man. The west coast is theirs.”
The post goes on to set up future possible conspiracies connected to COVID-related restrictions by stating that “They’re gonna be the ones managing the curfews and all the other shit that’s gonna follow.”
Within 24 hours, 629,978 Twitter and Facebook users were exposed to the post.
The post was shared on WEXIT related social media accounts including WEXITMovement.com which has 252k members. It should be noted that the WEXIT movement has been previously amplified by Russian state media Sputnik.
According to the US fact-checking website, PolitiFact, the host of the website radio show that posted the link, Hal Turner, is “A far-right radio host who has supported the rhetoric of white supremacy is spreading misinformation about the origins of the coronavirus outbreak.”
A representative from the City of Vancouver’s information centre confirmed on October 9th, that Vancouver’s Stanley Park is open to the public without any restrictions.
UPDATE OCTOBER 13 2020: A representative from the Office of the Minister of National Defence has confirmed that the claim of Chinese troops amassing in British Columbia is “fake news”.
