An image of a headline shared on Facebook claims U.S. Marines are deploying to Springfield, Ohio to protect pets amid claims they are purportedly being eaten by Haitian immigrants.
Verdict: False
The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 13 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.”
Fact Check:
Springfield City Hall in Ohio was recently evacuated following a bomb threat aimed at “multiple facilities throughout [the city],” according to Axios. It is “unclear” whether or not the threats are related to claims of Haitian immigrants purportedly eating animals there, the outlet reported.
The headline shared via the Facebook post claims U.S. Marines are deploying to Springfield, Ohio to protect pets amid claims they are purportedly being eaten by Haitian immigrants. “Marines Deploy to Ohio to Protect…Pets,” the headline reads. Besides Facebook, the claim circulated on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 13 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice [of] legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads.
According to the Sept. 13 article, a source in U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith’s office claimed “White Hats have independently verified 11 accounts of rampaging Haitians petnapping cats and dogs and beheading geese in local parks.” The article further claims an “undisclosed number” of Marines have been deployed to the area as a result.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. The claim is also neither referenced on the U.S. Marine Corps’ website nor its verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Viral X Video Claims A Haitian Immigrant In Ohio Ate Her Neighbor’s Cat)
Claims about Haitian immigrant activity in Springfield, Ohio circulated online following a city commission meeting where a local resident said the immigrants were allegedly killing and eating ducks. The claim about Haitian migrants purportedly eating animals in Springfield has since been repeated by 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance.
Check Your Fact has contacted the U.S. Marine Corps for comment.