Ian MacKay, an official with the National Union of Workers, has allegedly helped set up and run a Facebook page, titled “Black Lives Matter,” (BLM) with an estimated 700,000 followers. CNN reported that the page, promoting black rights, had been linked to online fundraising campaigns that supposedly brought in at least $100,000, which were allegedly channeled to BLM causes. However, according to the report, some funds were transferred to Australian bank accounts.
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The fundraisers, associated with the alleged fake page, were suspended by PayPal and Patreon after the media outlet reached them. The page has also been suspended as well as a user account, administering the community.
The National Union of Workers has opened an investigation into the allegations made by CNN, with National Secretary Tim Kennedy insisting that the union “is not involved and has not authorized any activities with reference to claims made in CNN’s story.” The union’s spokesperson has also added that it had suspended MacKay and other official while the probe is underway.
CNN has also allegedly learned that an anonymous Facebook profile under the name “BP Parker” shared a link to the website several days after MacKay registered it. The same profile appeared to be an administrator of the BLM Facebook page until it was shut down.
Social Media Reaction
The news couldn’t go unnoticed on social media, however many Twitter users couldn’t understand why the page was called fake:
There were some fellow twitterians who tried to explain the reason why it was regarded as “fake”:
Others denounced the movement itself as a “fraud”:
Many lashed out at Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg: