Twitter trolls falsely accuse Black Panther audiences of assault

Trolls are taking to Twitter to accuse African-American audiences of attacking white people in US cinemas.

Chadwick Boseman in a scene from Marvel Studios' Black Panther.

Chadwick Boseman in a scene from Marvel Studios' Black Panther. Source: Marvel Studios-Disney / AP

A series of Twitter trolls have made false claims white people are being assaulted at US screenings of the Marvel film, Black Panther.
The film, which is the first superhero movie to have a black director and mostly black cast, has been embraced by black audiences around the world.

Supporters have attended screenings of the film, which has grossed over $169 million in international markets across the weekend, in traditional African dress or in all black.

But online trolls are accusing filmgoers of attacking white Americans in US cinemas.

The Los AngelesTimes has reported New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston police departments have received no reports to match any of the online claims.

Other Twitter users are also calling out these false accusations, highlighting where the trolls are sourcing their photos.
Some of the accounts reporting false information have since been suspended.

One of the photos used in a fake post featured in a Daily Mail story in January about a teenage girl who was allegedly assaulted in a Swedish nightclub after she protested when she was groped by a man.


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Published 19 February 2018 12:10pm
Updated 19 February 2018 12:50pm
Source: Reuters, SBS


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