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Capitol Police investigating The Onion for fake hostage crisis tweets

By Dylan Stableford | The Cutline – Thu, Sep 29, 2011

(The Onion)

The Twitter feed operated by the satirical national newspaper The Onion created some confusion in Washington on Thursday with a series of tweets proclaiming breaking news of a hostage situation inside the Capitol building.

A pair of tweets started the apparent commotion. "BREAKING: Witnesses reporting screams and gunfire heard inside Capitol building," the first tweet read, followed by another: "BREAKING: Capitol building being evacuated. 12 children held hostage by group of armed congressmen #CongressHostage"

The tweets recalled a similar flurry last month, when the Twitter feed for NBC News issued several false reports of an apparent terrorist attack on New York two days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11. NBC said it was the victim of a hack, and that the FBI was investigating the incident.

The Onion's feed then published a third tweet with a link to a satirical article with the headline, "Congress Takes Group Of Schoolchildren Hostage": "Brandishing shotguns and semiautomatic pistols, members of the 112th U.S. Congress took a class of visiting schoolchildren hostage today, barricading themselves inside the Capitol rotunda and demanding $12 trillion dollars in cash."

Successive tweets satirically reported the hostage situation as if it was happening in real time:

(Click to enlarge)

Child with asthma released as gesture of good will #CongressHostage

Reports from those who know Congress say the legislative body had seemed desperate as of late #CongressHostage

Three-course lunch from Charlie Palmer's Steakhouse delivered as per Rep. Boehner's demands #CongressHostage

The real U.S. Capitol police, however, didn't find it so funny, issuing a statement on the matter.

"It has come to our attention that recent Twitter feeds are reporting false information concerning current conditions at the U.S. Capitol. Conditions at the U.S. Capitol are currently normal," U.S. Capitol police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said in a press release. "There is no credibility to these stories or the twitter feeds. The U.S. Capitol Police are currently investigating the reporting."

When reached by The Cutline, a spokeswoman for The Onion declined to comment.

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699 comments

cupofjoe • New York, United States • 6 mths ago
It has come to my attention that only a dumb**s could read the Onion reports and think they were serious. Apparently, the government officials are as intelligent as some of the gullible public...No surprise...I re-posted an Onion article that archaeologists had excavated an ancient civilization of skeleton people and received numerous calls from allegedly college educated people who thought it was serious....My favorite was a mock interview with New York neighborhood representatives who agreed with a member of Al-Qaeda that the World Trade Center Towers needed to be rebuilt as quickly as possible...horrible, but priceless!
Kirk J • 7 mths ago
This just in: Mad Magazine reports Osama Bin Laden is still alive!
- Steve 7 mths ago
  But Spy vs. Spy are on the case to find his current whereabouts!
- Harold 7 mths ago
  I'm voting Alfred E Newman
- gene 7 mths ago
  He's alive and well living in the white house.
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Reply
HumorGoneWrong • 7 mths ago
It was obviously fake, "$12 trillion dollars in cash"? Congress needs well more than $14 trillion! Everyone knows that!
- Halfdan 7 mths ago
  Gee, ya think?
- M9 7 mths ago
  They are just another libtarded "news" place like yahoo, funded by idiot democrats
- A Yahoo! User 7 mths ago
  Drudge, wouldn't you be happier if you just avoided the Internet. The rest of us would.
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Reply
Tommy • 7 mths ago
Have we really sunk so low as a nation that satire and parody are no longer obvious or even recognizable? This kind of response calls for A LOT more of the same until all the morons either GTFO of town or take their meds.
- noryb 7 mths ago
  Did you ever read Orwell's 1984 ... doubt that you'll find any "sense of humor" there ... you have arrived! Best of luck to you if you are young enough to have to try and survive under what your Government has become. Have a nice day!
- KEvin A 7 mths ago
  Noryb. what the hell are you talking about? 1984 is a possible future outcome of a country that losses its freedoms becuse people were afriad and wanted more security. Did you read 1984?
  
  this is a satiricale news organization, if you think anything they put out is factual then its you that has the issue.
E-ma • 7 mths ago
Seriously? Someone chose (of all "news" reports) to take THE ONION seriously! I'm past embarrassment & moving toward shame over this whole "war on FEAR" we've got going in the USA.
- Edgar Allan Poe 7 mths ago
  They aren't promoting a war against fear, they are promoting fear itself. Their only war is against the American people.
- KEvin A 7 mths ago
  H.P., you would have to be a total moron to think that. they are using the NBC incident to parody the fear mongering going on from the right.
  
  its plain as day. open your eyes and use your head H.P. Lovecraft.
Dean • 7 mths ago
NJ is being invaded by Martians--ring a bell?
- Michael 7 mths ago
  have you been to jersey? It is entirely populated by martians.
- Buff Puff 7 mths ago
  yep, war of the worlds..
- Shawn 7 mths ago
  That's exactly what I thought when I saw the first couple of Tweets re-posted on facebook. I can't believe someone is actually investigating!
peppy • 7 mths ago
BREAKING: The Capitol Police are MORONS!
CHRISTOPHER GILHCREST • 7 mths ago
So...they are aware this is THE ONION, right? NONE of their news reports have EVER been real. That's the whole point.
the_angry_american • 7 mths ago
"Breaking NEWS!! Congress names The Onion part of the Axis of Evil! Authorizes immediate drone strike on said News Source!
President opts to conduct poll before choosing to comment!"
Shaun • 7 mths ago
Lost in all this is the the point: Politicians are holding future generations hostage right now...
Jarema • 7 mths ago
Alas! The Thought Police will use this incident as an excuse to curtail free speech. I can see them re-writing the Constitution now: "We, the peep-hole of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Onion....."
E • 7 mths ago
Just like the 40 man swat team sent to investigate the report a guy who might be evicted, someone thought he might own a rifle. So instead of calling him to ask, the local police send FORTY SWAT team members in full out assault gear, evacuate dozen of nearby homes. Spend a half a day surrounding the guys apt..Then decide it was all a mistake. They said: the guy is not a danger#$%$!America has gone crazy.
Je Vois Tous • 7 mths ago
.....we of the "real" U.S. Capitol Police do not have a sense of humor that we are aware of.
yooper • 7 mths ago
It's the ONION for god's sakes. What next Secret Service investigating the "Weekly World News" because they have a pic of Obama meeting Bat Boy or Aliens from another galaxy?
kahe • 7 mths ago
Those pricks ARE holding us all hostage. What's the punch line?
Shlumgullya • 7 mths ago
Only two groups of people take the ONION NEWS seriously. (1) Chinese News Service Translators, and (2) District of Columbia Police.
Volfin • 7 mths ago
um, it's the Onion, duh. everything they do is satire. If anyone took it serious, it's their own fault.
Bowlregard • 7 mths ago
Repressive regimes have no sense of humour.
JD • 7 mths ago
Freedom of Speech baby, gotta love it... Unless you are a Congressman then you hate it because crafty people like the writers at the Onion make you look dumb...
The Seer • 7 mths ago
Now, let's have some satirical tweets about the activities of the Capitol Police please.

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