The Facebook group had reached more than 365,000 members in one day. (File)
Facebook said on Thursday it had dismantled a rapidly growing group where supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump had posted disinformation, violent rhetoric, and organized protests against the baseless claim that Democrats were stealing the election. The group had reached more than 365,000 members in one day.
“In keeping with the exceptional measures we are taking during this time of heightened tension, we have removed the ‘Stop the Steal’ group which was creating real world events,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
“The group was organized around the delegitimization of the electoral process, and we saw disturbing calls for violence from some members of the group.”
The “Stop the Steal” group, which called for “boots on the ground to protect the integrity of the vote”, had prepared for Facebook to act, directing new members to a sign-up page by e -mail “in case social media censors this group.”
The group was led by the Trump Women for America First action group. The nonprofit has staged protests against COVID-19 restrictions and backed Trump during his impeachment hearing. An email and phone message left with Women for America First was not immediately returned.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
