Fact Check: Viral Tweet Falsely Attributes Pro-Violence Quote to Black Lives Matter

A recent tweet by user ALX 🇺🇸 has circulated, alleging that "Black Lives Matter’s Official Account" posted a statement advocating for violence, specifically: > "We have a right to violence. All oppressed people have a right to violence… it’s like the right to pee." This claim was made in the context of the murder of Iryna Zarutska by Decarlos Brown Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, multiple independent fact-checking organizations have debunked the quote, confirming it was never issued by any official Black Lives Matter account or leader.

The murder incident referenced in the tweet did occur. Iryna Zarutska was found deceased in her Charlotte apartment in December 2022. Decarlos Brown Jr. was subsequently arrested in January 2023 and has since pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with Zarutska's death.

Despite the tweet's assertion, extensive searches and fact-checks by reputable news and verification outlets, including Reuters, Lead Stories, and Daily Wire, have found no evidence that the quote originated from or was ever published by any official Black Lives Matter platform. These organizations have consistently identified the quote as a fabrication or a misattribution.

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the official organization, explicitly states its principles are rooted in nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience. Their official statements and historical actions consistently advocate for systemic change through peaceful protest and advocacy, not violence. The movement's core tenets emphasize racial justice and equality through nonviolent means.

The dissemination of such unverified claims underscores the challenges of misinformation on social media platforms. While the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska is a verified event, the inflammatory quote attributed to a major social justice movement serves as an example of how false information can be spread, potentially misleading online audiences and distorting public perception of organizations and their objectives.