The Black Lives Matter organization and Black Lives Matter RI PAC recently removed themselves from association with an activist who claimed he was affiliated with the group when publicly backing Donald Trump for president on TV.
On Tuesday, Mark Fisher, a man the Black Lives Matter organization has categorized as an “imposter” activist, appeared on the right-wing channel Fox News, criticizing the Democratic Party and stating that he’ll be endorsing Trump for President.
Fisher went on-air claiming that he was the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Rhode Island, a group that is not actually related to Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC or the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump subsequently claimed he was “honored” to have his and “BLM’s support.”
In a statement shared with CNN, Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter Rhose Island PAC denounced both Fisher and the right-wing party he endorsed.
“This is a publicity stunt,” said Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC per CNN. “The right-wing continues to use and amplify fringe Black voices to create an idea of broad support for their corrupt candidates.”
They doubled down on their comments in a social media post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting Trump’s destabilization of American democracy.
“He is no friend to Black people seeking to live in a just society,” said Black Lives Matter in their post. “And we in NO WAY support him.”
Throughout the years, Trump has continued to perpetrate false narratives against Black Lives Matter, recently calling upon the Biden administration to break apart the organization. He’s continuously claimed that Black Lives Matter spreads violence and is a “symbol of hate.”
Created in 2013, Black Lives Matter was founded after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the murderer of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Since its formation, the organization has been committed to combating violence against Black communities globally with the network having spaces in the UK and Canada as well.
The movement particularly gained prominence in 2020 when more than 60 countries and 2,000 cities marched in support of the Black Lives Matter organization and against police brutality following the murder of George Floyd.
Per reports released in 2020, between 15 million and 26 million people took part in a protest for Black Lives Matter in the U.S. alone, cementing the protests’ place as the largest protests in U.S. history.
