What may have looked like scores of Muslims protesting terrorism in London appears to have been staged by a CNN reporter — and was in fact only a handful of people.
Video of CNN reporter Becky Anderson prepping for a live shot appears to show the “journalist” helping to position a number of people to hold signs behind her.
CNN have just been caught in a leaked video with reporter @BeckyCNN FAKING a muslim protest against #LondonBridge. pic.twitter.com/XLdtNq6Rmr
— Caolan Robertson (@CaolanRob) June 4, 2017
Anderson could be seen off camera motioning to the protesters, telling them where to stand and how to hold their signs.
One man was holding his sign too high for her liking, and she motioned for him to lower it. He dutifully complied.
Several women in hijabs filtered behind Anderson, filling out the shot. The reporter watched on from out of the shot, occasionally motioning to them on where to stand.
Anderson then went live, reading the signs for viewers.
Anderson later posted a video of another live shot in which she opined about the “stupid losers” that reportedly ran Londoners over with a delivery van and stabbed many of them.
My message to the #LondonBridge attackers: You are a handful of twisted fools hell-bent on taking lives https://t.co/0v17H67El1
— Becky Anderson (@BeckyCNN) June 4, 2017
“Terrorists are a handful of twisted nutjobs hell-bent on celebrating taking lives,” she said.
The camera panned to show a number of signs that had been placed in the street, which included the hastags #TurnToLove, #ForLondon, #ISISWillLose.
CNN media analyst Brian Stelter attempted to explain away the damning video, claiming police “allowed demonstrators thru cordon ‘so they could show their signs’ to media,” Stelter tweeted Sunday evening.
Police allowed demonstrators thru cordon "so they could show their signs" to media, @CNNPR says. CNN, BBC, AP "simply filmed them doing so."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 5, 2017
He said CNN, BBC and AP “simply filmed them doing so,” citing CNN International PR.
This is nonsense. Police let demonstrators through the cordon to show their signs. CNN along with other media simply filmed them doing so.
— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) June 5, 2017
He didn’t explain why the CNN reporter helped to stage the protesters for the cameras.
h/t Twitchy
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