Arizona GOP sparks ‘feline frenzy’ on social media with new billboards

PHOENIX (AP/AZFamily) — The Arizona GOP has put up billboards that tout a false claim former President Donald Trump made during Tuesday night’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

The billboards are a play-off of Chick-fil-A’s famous “Eat Mor Chikin” ad campaign. The signs read: “EAT LESS KITTENS – Vote Republican!”

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating pets, repeating during a televised debate the type of inflammatory and anti-immigrant rhetoric he has promoted throughout his campaigns.

There is no evidence that Haitian immigrants in an Ohio community are doing that, officials say. But during the debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump specifically mentioned Springfield, Ohio, the town at the center of the claims, saying that immigrants were taking over the city.

“They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” he said.

Harris called Trump “extreme” and laughed after his comment. Debate moderators pointed out that city officials have said the claims are not true.

Despite the clarification, the billboards remain up to welcome President Trump, who is scheduled to visit Arizona on Thursday and speak to supporters in Tucson.

The Arizona Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is among a number of groups condemning the billboards, saying they promote unsubstantiated, racist claims about Haitian immigrants.

“This kind of rhetoric is rooted in ignorance and prejudice,” said Azza Abuseif, executive director of CAIR-AZ. “One of the main reasons there are harmful stereotypes out there like Islamaphobia, anti-Semitism, anti-black, anti immigration is spitting out misinformation and disinformation to our communities.”

Arizona’s Family reached out to the Arizona Republican Party to respond to complaints that the billboards are racist but have not heard back.

Political consultant Stan Barnes with Copper State Consulting in Phoenix said it’s not unusual for political parties on both sides to post misleading or false ads whose sole purpose is to get voters’ attention.

“It’s easy to make fun of it, but in politics, that kind of thing is sometimes the ‘thing’ that actually makes a difference,” said Barnes. “In this case, I cant tell if it will make a positive or negative for Republicans, but it’s there and we’re talking about it.”

Here’s a closer look at how the false claims have spread.

How did this get started?

On Sept. 6, a post surfaced on X that shared what looked like a screengrab of a social media post apparently out of Springfield. The retweeted post talked about the person’s “neighbor’s daughter’s friend” seeing a cat hanging from a tree to be butchered and eaten, claiming without evidence that Haitians lived at the house. The accompanying photo showed a Black man carrying what appeared to be a Canada goose by its feet. That post continued to get shared on social media.

On Monday, Vance posted on X. “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country. Where is our border czar?” he said. The next day, Vance posted again on X about Springfield, saying his office had received inquires from residents who said “their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants. It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false.”

Other Republicans shared similar posts. Among them was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who posted a photo of kittens with a caption that said to vote for Trump “So Haitian immigrants don’t eat us.”

What do officials in Ohio say?

The office of the Springfield city manager, Bryan Heck, issued a statement knocking down the rumors.

“In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” Heck’s office said in an emailed statement.

Springfield police on Monday told the Springfield News-Sun that they had received no reports of stolen or eaten pets.

What do advocates for Haitian immigrants say?

The posts create a false narrative and could be dangerous for Haitians in the United States, according to Guerline Jozef, founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a group that supports and advocates for immigrants of African descent.

“We are always at the receiving end of all kind of barbaric, inhumane narratives and treatments, specifically when it comes to immigration,” Jozef said in a phone interview.

What is the broader context of Haitians in Ohio and the US?

Springfield, a city of roughly 60,000, has seen its Haitian population grow in recent years. It’s impossible to give an exact number, according to the city, but it estimates Springfield’s entire county has an overall immigrant population of 15,000.

The city also says that the Haitian immigrants are in the country legally under a federal program that allows for them to remain in the country temporarily. Last month the Biden administration granted eligibility for temporary legal status to about 300,000 Haitians already in the United States because conditions in Haiti are considered unsafe for them to return. Haiti’s government has extended a state of emergency to the entire country due to endemic gang violence.

Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey, and Shipkowski from Toms River, New Jersey.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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