Blakeman Echoes Replacement Rhetoric Linked To Buffalo Shooter

"Blakeman argued that recent migrant arrivals look like part of an orchestrated effort and suggested they are being drawn to the country for partisan gain. State Sen. April Baskin blasted the comments as 'ignorant, reckless and dangerous,' while Democrats accused him of amplifying fringe rhetoric instead of offering evidence-based immigration policy proposals."

"According to a report from the New York Attorney General, the 2022 Buffalo supermarket attacker repeatedly invoked the so-called 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory and said he was influenced by a livestream of the 2019 Christchurch massacre. The investigation details how anonymous message boards, memes and viral content helped normalize the ideology that motivated the shooter."

"Extremism researchers say the Great Replacement narrative has moved from obscure online forums into more mainstream political chatter, a trend the Southern Poverty Law Center has publicly condemned. Similar language appeared in the anti-immigrant manifesto tied to the 2019 El Paso Walmart massacre, underscoring how the theory has surfaced in multiple deadly attacks."

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, drew significant criticism for stating that migrants are being brought to the United States not only for Democratic votes but to undermine American culture and values. State Senator April Baskin and Democratic opponents condemned the remarks as ignorant, reckless, and dangerous, criticizing him for amplifying fringe rhetoric rather than proposing evidence-based immigration policies. Critics connected Blakeman's comments to the Great Replacement conspiracy theory, which has been invoked in multiple mass killings, including the 2022 Buffalo supermarket attack and the 2019 Christchurch and El Paso massacres. Extremism researchers note the narrative has migrated from obscure online forums into mainstream political discourse, a trend the Southern Poverty Law Center has publicly condemned.

Read at Hoodline