WASHINGTON (AP) - Liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his foundations did not pay protesters to rally against gun violence in the U.S. capital.
The Tea Party Commander Center blog claimed Soros paid protesters $300 each at the March for Our Lives in Washington on March 24. The piece included an image of an online advertisement that it said Soros organizers posted, but the ad is a freelance job listing for people to sell merchandise at a sister march in Los Angeles.
“Neither Mr. Soros nor the Open Society Foundations paid protesters,” said Laura Silber, the foundations’ chief communications officer.
Students organized the rallies after a Feb. 14 shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Some survivors have called for a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault-type weapons, comprehensive background checks for gun buyers and a higher minimum age to purchase guns.
Soros is known for his support of American liberal and progressive causes. He is a frequent target of conspiracy theories.
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This is part of The Associated Press’ ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.
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