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Life-saving disaster relief sabotaged by right-wing trolls
What happened
AlterNet’s publication of Grist’s reporting shows how false disaster claims obstructed relief after the 2023 Maui wildfires and Hurricane Helene in 2024. Right-wing influencers and other social-media accounts spread unsupported allegations about energy weapons, government land seizures, withheld aid, and FEMA interference. During Helene, a reported armed threat forced FEMA to suspend North Carolina field operations for several hours; anonymous callers also prompted police SWAT deployments at the homes of FEMA leaders.
The reporting traces one supposed image of a Maui “laser” to…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.