Right-wing makes wild, conspiracy-theory claim George Soros funds campus protests

Right-Wing Media Outlets Push Blatant Lies about Soros Protest Funding

Right-wing media outlets are spreading harmful lies about renowned philanthropist George Soros, claiming he is funding student protests across the country. This is a blatant attempt to discredit legitimate activism and demonize a survivor of the Holocaust. Meta has flagged these false posts as part of its fight against misinformation.

Soros, a billionaire and generous contributor to progressive causes, is often targeted by antisemitic conspiracy theories. While criticizing his politics is valid, using him as a symbol of Jewish control and wealth is not. This harmful rhetoric is a modern iteration of historic antisemitic tropes, according to the American Jewish Committee.

The New York Post, a right-wing rag, published an article alleging that Soros is paying student activists through his Open Society Foundations. This claim has been refuted by fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact and the organizations themselves. The OSF has a long history of fighting against injustice and publicly discloses its funding.

Unfortunately, Republican representatives like Elise Stefanik and Beth Van Duyne shared the New York Post's lies on social media, and lawyer Alan Dershowitz repeated them on Fox News. This dangerous misinformation spreads quickly and can have serious consequences.

The New York Post article specifically targeted the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group that received OSF grants. However, the supposed fellows involved in the protests were from 2023, not this year, and the OSF grants were for general operating support, not funding protests.

Additionally, claims that Jewish Voice for Peace received OSF money through the Tides Foundation are false. The Tides Foundation confirmed this to PolitiFact, and OSF has directly awarded grants to JVP for public education.

Furthermore, the allegation that Soros donated to the WESPAC Foundation, which funds anti-Israel groups, is also unfounded. An OSF spokesperson said they have never heard of the WESPAC Foundation, and the foundation itself stated it doesn't fund those groups but only serves as a fiscal sponsor.

This dishonest smear campaign against Soros and student protesters must be called out. It is a blatant attempt to silence dissent and promote an antisemitic agenda. Don't fall for these right-wing lies.

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