Kamala Harris targeted by misinformation after Olympics opening ceremony

"What an impressive show by all of these beautiful and diverse people at the Opening Ceremony of The Olympics!" says what appears to be a post from "@KamalaHarris" featuring pictures from the July 26 production in the French capital.

"Director Thomas Jolly did an incredible job, and made France look great! America, this is what we need to strive towards!”

Image

Screenshot from X taken August 2, 2024

The apparent screenshot pinballed across X and other platforms July 27 amid backlash over the opening ceremony -- and as Harris emerged as the presumptive nominee for the Democratic nomination in the race against former president Donald Trump.

Conservative political figures worldwide, including Trump, have joined Catholic groups and French bishops in condemning a scene from the parade.

The controversial moment in Paris involved dancers, drag queens and a DJ posing in a scene that some thought resembled the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have taken with his apostles, according to Christian texts.

Theater director Thomas Jolly, who choreographed the ceremony, has denied taking inspiration from the Last Supper and said he meant no offense. The scene was intended to portray a pagan feast led by the Greek god of wine and pleasure, Dionysus, organizers said.

French investigators are looking into complaints of cyberbullying targeting Jolly, who is openly gay, and a lesbian activist involved in the performance.

But Harris -- who recently appeared on the TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" in an episode taped before President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election -- did not hail the ceremony as "what we need to strive towards."

The supposed X post is "obviously fake," said Ammar Moussa, the Harris campaign's director of rapid response, in an August 2 email.

No such message appears on "@KamalaHarris," her personal account, or "@VP," her official government account.

Shortly before the opening ceremony, the vice president posted a video message from "@VP" telling the US Olympic squad that "we are so proud of all of you" and to "slay" in Paris (archived here).

The posts she shared from "@KamalaHarris" on July 26 and 27 were about her campaign.

Some accounts that circulated the fake screenshot received Community Notes, an X feature that allows users to refute claims and offer additional context, indicating Harris had not posted about the Olympics in the hours after the opening ceremony.

AFP has debunked other misinformation about US politics here.