“Here is what Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Presidency, stands for. This evil of communism is fighting to establish itself everywhere. If we continue to be mere spectators of this horror theater, what we will experience in the future I would not wish on my worst enemy,” is highlighted in a tweet dated August 15.
The post features a clip of video lasting about 20 seconds in which Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. President, and Tim Walz, her vice-presidential candidate, are seen smiling while taking a selfie in front of a sign that reads “Revolutionary Communists of America.”
The sign also displays the sickle and hammer symbol of communism. Additionally, there is another image that includes several former leaders and philosophers of communist ideology, such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung.
The same video circulates on other social media platforms with claims in English and Spanish, but it is nothing more than a manipulated video, as verified by AFP Checamos.
A search for fragments of the video leads to a video posted on X by Brahm Resnik, a presenter and reporter for the television station 12News, on August 9, 2024. However, what appears behind the two candidates is quite different from what is seen in the tweet accusing Harris and Walz of supporting communism.
Instead of a communist sign, there is one that reads “Kamala and the Coach”, with “the coach” referring to Tim Walz, who was a teacher and American football coach. Below the sign, instead of figures of communism, it reads “Democrats’ Abortion Project.”
When questioned by AFP Checamos, Brahm Resnik confirmed he is the author of the video and explained the context in which it was recorded. It was a press group following Vice President Kamala Harris during the campaign in Phoenix, prior to her speech on August 9 in Glendale, Arizona.
“The location was a workspace for Democratic volunteers. They were painting campaign signs, just like the ‘Kamala and the Coach’ sign,” he justified.
And on Harris and Walz’s social media, the aforementioned selfie was posted, confirming that it had nothing to do with a communist sign.
In reality, the video was altered by the group “Dilley Meme Team,” which describes itself as a “creator of memes and content.” The manipulated version was first shared on X on August 10, 2024, shortly after the original version was published by Brahm Resnik.
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