Synagogue Shooting Suspect Robert Bowers Bought Into Baseless Theory That George Soros Funded Migrant Caravan
Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting suspect Robert Bowers bought into baseless conspiracy theories that Jews – notably, philanthropist George Soros – are financing the migrant caravan headed toward the United States’ Southern border.
The above allegation was reported by Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star Daniel Dale, via Twitter. Dale also noted that Bowers disliked President Trump because he thought he was “too soft on Jews.”
“The suspect also appeared to suggest, baselessly, that Jews were behind or connected to the caravan,” Dale wrote.
A glance at Bowers’ alleged and recently deleted Gab profile – contents of which are accessible via archive.li – reveals that the suspected shooter bought into quite a few baseless conspiracy theories, most of them anti-Semitic. Bowers expressed his dislike for both Democrats and Republicans on multiple occasions, posted anti-Semitic and racist caricatures, and spread multiple Nazi, white nationalist narratives on the platform.
The conspiracy theories Bowers appears to have bought into were spread by many prominent figures on the American right, President Trump included.
As detailed by a previous Inquisitr report, pushing baseless conspiracy theories appears to be commonplace in the Trump camp, with some of the president’s closest confidants indulging in conspiratorial thinking, and many of his media advocates indiscriminately spreading these theories without evidence.
Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, and even the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. have all, at some point, suggested that the bombs sent to President Trump’s critics and opponents were “false flags,” for instance. President Trump notably accused George Soros of bankrolling those who came to protest Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Much like Robert Bowers, the alleged mail bomber Cesar Sayoc also appears to be a conspiracy theorist, according to the Daily Beast.
Around 10 a.m., Bowers allegedly entered Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue during a crowded service and started shooting. Witnesses said he shouted, “all Jews must die” upon entering, according to multiple reports https://t.co/FDX9N8W7SH
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) October 28, 2018
Unlike Bowers, however, Sayoc – dubbed the “MAGABomber” – was an ardent Trump supporter who spread conspiracy theories about President Trump’s political opponents. Previous reports suggested that Sayoc posted dozens of threatening messages aimed at prominent Democrats, and targeted gun control advocate David Hogg and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his tweets.
Just like President Trump and Robert Bowers, Sayoc reportedly parroted popular far-right talking points and promoted conspiracy theories about George Soros. One of Sayoc’s chilling Twitter messages directed at the philanthropist simply warned Soros that he will “vanish.”
Daniel Dale notes that U.S. Representative for Florida’s first congressional district Matt Gaetz also infamously alleged via Twitter that George Soros was financing the South American migrant caravan.
As the Washington Post recently noted, conspiracy theories about George Soros are predominantly rooted in anti-Semitism. The American far-right has, according to the publication, ecstatically embraced the spectacle of elected political figures such as Trump and Gaetz theorizing about the billionaire.
