A peaceful protester has been subjected to racial abuse and threats online after being falsely identified as the person who attempted to burn a Union Jack at the Cenotaph war memorial in London.
The 23-year-old Londoner, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, attended an anti-racism protest on 3 June wearing a red, white and blue anorak. Days later, his photo was shared on social media by accounts accusing him of setting fire to the national flag during a subsequent protest on 7 June.
However, the person who climbed onto the Cenotaph was a woman, not a man, and the anorak patterns differ. The Metropolitan Police confirmed a 20-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and bailed until July.
Despite the clear discrepancies, the false accusation spread rapidly on Twitter, Facebook and Reddit, with one tweet calling him a 'scumbag' and a 'filthy rat'. The posts attracted thousands of shares and hundreds of racist comments.
Twitter stated the tweet did not violate its rules, while Facebook removed some posts but said it does not tolerate abuse. The protester said the incident shows the targeting is about race, not justice.
