In case you hadn’t heard, “Empire” star Jussie Smollett was allegedly the victim of a possible hate crime in Chicago:
'Empire' star Jussie Smollett hospitalized after possible homophobic attack https://t.co/D4KrPkJREi
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 29, 2019
More from TMZ:
“Empire” star Jussie Smollett was brutally attacked by 2 men who beat him up, put his head in a noose and screamed, “This is MAGA country.”
Sources directly connected to Jussie tell TMZ, the actor arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday, and at around 2 AM he was hungry and went to a Subway. We’re told when he walked out, someone yelled, “Aren’t you that f***ot ‘Empire’ n*****?”
The 2 men — both white and wearing ski masks — viciously attacked Jussie as he fought back, but they beat him badly and fractured a rib. They put a rope around his neck, poured bleach on him and as they left they yelled, “This is MAGA country.”
The Chicago PD has also released a statement:
Chicago Police Department just sent out this statement re:
Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/DxQswZn8xd— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 29, 2019
Not surprisingly, a lot of people are outraged over this alleged hate crime, viewing it as yet more evidence of the bigotry inherent in Trump supporters.
#MAGA supporters in Chicago attacked @JussieSmollett and tied a noose around his neck: https://t.co/ZXynQZKsTr pic.twitter.com/K4QaXuqGbL
— The Root (@TheRoot) January 29, 2019
SERIOUSLY, AMERICA?!??!#WTF
Jussie Smollett Hospitalized After Racist Attack in Chicago https://t.co/rk0iUUvvnH— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) January 29, 2019
This is happening. NOW. In OUR country. https://t.co/C1Zxsx9Y9Q
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) January 29, 2019
This is horrific. What kind of country do we live in. https://t.co/unvzWmo6XD
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 29, 2019
My God.
Just heard that Jussie Smollet was brutally assaulted in a racist, homophobic hate crime.
This is awful. https://t.co/rSw9G5zIHH
— Shaun King (@shaunking) January 29, 2019
TMZ: We're told when Jussie Smollet walked out, someone yelled, "Aren't you that f***ot 'Empire' n*****?"
They put a noose around his neck and said “This is MAGA country.”
This is just absolutely outrageous and so enraging. https://t.co/VIKOIItzuJ
— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) January 29, 2019
"Very fine people"
am i right @realDonaldTrump ?
— Skyler Shuler (@Skylerhxc) January 29, 2019
This is what you get when you have a President that normalizes violence against marginalized groups. I wish him a quick recovery.
— Arinze Gerald (@Gerryboy90) January 29, 2019
Horrible news about what happened to Jussie Smollett last night.
It's almost as if Trump supporters feel empowered to commit hate crimes!
Almost as if they are getting this feeling straight from Donald Trump himself because of what he says, does, tweets, etc!
I wonder why!
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) January 29, 2019
Our sweet Jussie Smollett was brutally attacked in Chicago early this morning. Homophobia and racism is tearing apart our country and it’s being fueled by Trump and this hateful administration. The fracture in our humity is growing wider and it’s heartbreaking. ?
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) January 29, 2019
"This is MAGA country."
That’s what 2 attackers in ski masks screamed to ‘Empire' star Jussie Smollett as they beat him in a brutal racist, homophobic attack. Horrific!
This is America.
Unless we make change. https://t.co/J937y8sR6b— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) January 29, 2019
Is this okay with you, America? @Alyssa_Milano was right: maga hats really are the new white hoods. https://t.co/1iL7gXnJLC
— Lisa Guerrero ?? (@4lisaguerrero) January 29, 2019
I'm horrified by the vicious attack on @JussieSmollett Not surprised that the cowards in masks yelled "This is MAGA country." Our country deserves better than the kind of morally bankrupt people who have taken our democracy hostage and condone hate crimes. Sending love to Jussie.
— Molly Ringwald (@MollyRingwald) January 29, 2019
Let's not sugar coat this.
Supporters of the President reportedly threatened to lynch Jussie Smollett by putting a noose around his neck, beat him, and burned him with bleach.
Don't tell me that red hat isn't a symbol of white supremacy and hate.
Lynching. In 2019. WTF America. pic.twitter.com/Orlr0XctTt— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) January 29, 2019
This certainly sounds like a horrific attack, and we hope Smollett recovers swiftly and fully from his injuries.
All that being said, though, it’s hard to ignore that some of the facts just don’t add up.
Lets um… wait.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 29, 2019
Something is very fishy about all of this. Not saying it didn’t happen, but something doesn’t make sense.
— Dono6971 (@dono6971) January 29, 2019
I feel guilty about it but I'm skeptical.
— Zell (@ZellTietj) January 29, 2019
Skepticism is understandable. We’ve seen it too many times: The narrative surrounding a “hate crime” perpetrated by Trump supporters turns out to be a false one.
this…this doesn't seem right.
I mean, this is Chicago. And who just happens to be carrying *rope* around with them on a -17 degree day while in Subway?
Maybe it all went down as reported, but something seems off.
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 29, 2019
There is no way you can yell "This is MAGA country!" in Chicago without getting beat up yourself, either, by the way.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
This sounds horrifying, but nothing about the facts make sense. What Subway is open in the city at 2AM? On one of the coldest nights in Chicago history? Who carries rope, bleach+ski-masks around in the off-chance they might assault someone?
Maybe it all happened this way, but… https://t.co/G4hRbcqx9v
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 29, 2019
I'm glad you're saying this. I keep re-reading the facts and scratching my head (though I do think the Subway near State and Chicago is open 24 hours).
White dudes in ski masks?
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
Also, Chicago is many things, but one thing it most definitely isn't is "MAGA country," as Smollett claims his attackers told him.
Only way this makes sense is if it was a targeted attack. But how would they have known to target him? None of this makes sense. Wait for more.
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 29, 2019
Chicago is MAGA country? Now THAT is the real news. ???
— Amy E Smith (@smith5_amy) January 29, 2019
Yeah the whole thing seems really sketchy. Chicago is “MAGA country”?
— Ashe Schow (@AsheSchow) January 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/emzanotti/status/1090289932986433536
I mean, if this is TRUE, we have some weird ass criminals running around River North that really need to be stopped.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
My thoughts exactly. And, maybe I am clueless…but how big is the show Empire among the MAGA class? I have never, ever seen that show, FWIW.
The whole thing sounds very strange. I'll wait to hear a lot more facts.
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) January 29, 2019
People are tweeting back at me "of course the subways are open 24 hours in Chicago!" Dude:
1) I live here. I know. And it's the El, not the "subway."
2) This attack is said to have happened in a Subway SANDWICH SHOP. Not the El. at 2AM? Presumably downtown? That's…odd af.— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 29, 2019
I'm definitely not ruling out that this all went down as described, and if Smollett was at a Subway downtown (turns out there are a few 24hr locations), there is hopefully security/street cam footage to nail the people who did this.
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 29, 2019
Definitely one of those stories where we need to wait 24-48 hours for more information
— Ashe Schow (@AsheSchow) January 29, 2019
Yeah, hopefully he's OK, whatever happened. Sounds pretty scary regardless of the facts.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
This is so weird. I tell my parents not to mention they're Trump supporters up there. My dad considered himself such a rebel in 2012 when he had a Romney sticker on his car.
— ☃️ Cold Ginger ❄️ (@mchastain81) January 29, 2019
I mean, I have no idea. I used to live in the area he seems to have frequented, and it can get strange at night. Lots of addicts, etc. It could have been two random dudes looking for a fight, but its just so cold…?
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
If it’s two random dudes, would they recognize him that specifically?
— Erin S. (@ErinGoBORO) January 29, 2019
Two random dudes who happened to be out in freezing Chicago weather at 2am carrying rope and bleach, supported Trump, AND knew this actor and hated him enough to attack him.
— Ashe Schow (@AsheSchow) January 29, 2019
And knew he'd be out and around at 2am when he says he just randomly went on a food run, even though his hotel probably has room service?
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 29, 2019
Yep… all sounds very oddly specific. I do not wish harm on this guy and hope he’s okay, but… I’m super skeptical, here.
— Erin S. (@ErinGoBORO) January 29, 2019
TIL Chicago is teeming with gangs of ski-mask wearing white men roaming the street on sub-zero nights hoping to find someone to pour bleach on and scream racist, homophobic slurs at.
And that those people WATCH EMPIRE. ?https://t.co/jyfr3LS2St
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) January 29, 2019
I don't usually come out and call things like this hoaxes until more is known… but we already known enough to clearly say this is just so obviously fake I can't believe even @shaunking is jumping on this after his many recent embarrassments. https://t.co/W7v7Vn92Dy
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) January 29, 2019
Either TMZ got hoaxed or 'Empire' star Jussie Smollett straight up fabricated details, but there is no way the hate crime described in the TMZ story occurred as described. I'm sorry, this is terrible fiction. pic.twitter.com/sWEswRg8bw
— my tweet portal is whack (@HashtagGriswold) January 29, 2019
The MAGA-loving, lynching racists recognized an "Empire" star, as well as his sexual orientation? "This is MAGA country" yelled the racists in… Chicago? They were walking around with bleach and a rope and happened to run into a celebrity?
— my tweet portal is whack (@HashtagGriswold) January 29, 2019
My biggest regret is not laying down my marker on the UVA story, and I got that exact same gut feeling reading this. A little too on the nose. A little too salacious. I'll risk the consequences for being wrong.
— my tweet portal is whack (@HashtagGriswold) January 29, 2019
One thing’s for sure: This story’s not over yet. You’ll definitely want to stay tuned.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
***
Update:
Worth noting:
UPDATE: @thatgrapejuice who “broke” the story has suspiciously updated their site to remove all mentions of the #MAGA hat and “this is MAGA country” quote. If anyone screenshotted the original story plz share. This is getting…stunty.
— Rob Smith ?? (@robsmithonline) January 29, 2019
ALL #MAGA mentions: gone. Hmmm….https://t.co/LIG1fcVSrg
— Rob Smith ?? (@robsmithonline) January 29, 2019
And:
Contra TMZ’s report, Chicago police says that “there is no report of that being said” re: Jussie Smollett’s attackers shouting “This is MAGA country.” Unclear where TMZ got that from. https://t.co/ufiwfTfcnk
— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) January 29, 2019
Some in media erroneously reporting claims that Jussie Smollett said attackers were white and shouted "MAGA country!" I just spoke with Chicago PD; they deny this. https://t.co/2SRudifVpM
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) January 29, 2019
More from Reason:
“According to the victim, the offenders’ faces were concealed,” a police spokesperson told Reason. “We have no record indicating that [they shouted ‘MAGA’], we only have record of them shouting racial and homophobic slurs at him.”
Chicago police have also released a statement contradicting claims that Smollett identified his attackers’ race and heard them shout “MAGA.”
“We have no record of The MAGA Country comment,” said the police in a statement. “We have racial and homophobic comments documented.”
Welp.
Could the Jussie Smollett attack have been the work of Trump supporters? Yes. Do we have any evidence of that? No. Everyone calm down and wait for the reporting. Your narrative can hold off. https://t.co/2SRudifVpM
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) January 29, 2019
It's sorta astounding to me that journalists continue to circulate fuzzy, scary rumors about situations in which it's blazingly obvious if they just wait a little longer, more details will come in one way or another
(And note that police DID confirm the racial/homophobic slurs.) https://t.co/jhzjDRug8S
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) January 29, 2019
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