Stacks of bricks are showing up in Denver because “the Evil Left is getting ready to destroy downtown.”
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No, bricks in Denver aren’t being staged for riots
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- The bricks were leftover from a nearby construction project but have since been removed.
Beware photos of bricks and claims that they’re being staged for Election Day riots.
Similar rumors during Black Lives Matter protests in the spring were largely unfounded, as were more recent ones about bricks appearing in Detroit, Mich.
An image now being shared in connection with Denver is also being miscast as a nefarious plot.
"Hey look! Free bricks," reads the description of a pile of bricks on a curb. "Downtown Denver. Pic taken today."
One of the accounts that shared the image on Nov. 2 wrote, "Look what is showing up in downtown Denver. Stacks of bricks with no construction near them. The Evil LEft is getting ready to destroy downtown Denver."
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This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
A Denver journalist went to the spot where the photo was taken, but there were no bricks there on Nov. 3, according to Colorado Public Radio. The ones that had been there were not randomly dropped off. Paul Hansen, director of facilities for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, told the radio station that the bricks were left over from a nearby road construction project. He removed them himself.
The Twitter account for the city and county of Denver also tweeted on Nov. 3 that "there has been no evidence of any objects left to be used for non-peaceful protests."
We rate this Facebook post False.
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Our Sources
Facebook post, Nov. 2, 2020
PolitiFact, Police say bricks in Detroit are for construction projects, Nov. 3, 2020
PolitiFact, Fact-checking theories about bricks and Black Lives Matter, June 3, 2020
Colorado Public Radio, We have solved the brick mystery, Nov. 3, 2020
City and County of Denver tweet, Nov. 3, 2020
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No, bricks in Denver aren’t being staged for riots
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