When the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that there was no “indication” of hate groups like the Proud Boys or Three Percenters at the “We the People” rally when damn near everyone saw and documented them, you can understand the public dragging they received. Brian Villa explains further.

Brian Villa

On the Sunday following the so-called “We the People” rally, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “The competing rallies featured only sporadic tensions, and there was no indication of attendance by neo-Nazis, white supremacists, or members of hate groups such as the Proud Boys or Three Percenters, as had been predicted on various online sites.”

By Monday, the article was corrected, and that is because nothing could have been further from the truth. “An earlier version of this article reported “no indication” that neo-Nazis, white supremacists, or members of other alleged hate groups attended Saturday’s rallies,” the correction stated. “Photos of the event show individuals wearing shirts with the Three Percenters insignia, and social media posts claim that several attendees were associated with the Proud Boys.”

It was laughable to make such a statement, especially since it was so obvious, one of the reporters in the article’s byline even tweeted a picture of an attendee with one of those Three Percenters shirts. But that is just one of the instances that made the assertion embarrassing.

Proud Boy Alan Swinney showed up and conducted security. He was the guy who is wearing the pads and helmet. Another Proud Boy who attended was David Kuriakose. He was arrested when Proud Boys rioted in New York City and faces assault and a felony riot charge.

Another incorrect claim was no Three Percenter participation. Well, there’s this:

6) Several folks with Three Percenter logos were seen on the fascist side of today’s rally pic.twitter.com/SLcZcG0JLR

— Mx. Danielle Corcione (@decorcione) November 18, 2018

Another unfactual statement was the counter-demonstration being non-political. Seriously? The political bent is being anti-fascist. Did anyone read signs, banners, or listen to speeches? This comment just fails apart under any critical thinking.

Under any examination this article failed. Even worse, it normalized white supremacy.