The video posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, caught the attention of Jonathan Riley, a liberal activist in Durham, North Carolina, who posted Sunday that it showed “Missouri Republicans at a literal book burning," though he'd later walk that statement back to a “metaphorical” book burning.
“It fit a narrative that they wanted to put out there,” Freedom Fest organizer Debbie McFarland said about claims that Eigel burned books.
Experts who study political extremism said images involving fire or bonfires have long been associated with extremist groups.
Eigel’s critics quickly posted online images involving the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi book burnings before World War II.
Talking about book burning enough can plant the idea in people's minds so that ”people think it’s actually a righteous thing to do."
Persons:
Louis, Sen, Bill Eigel, ” Eigel, Eigel, ”, Kurt Braddock, Jonathan Riley, he'd, Debbie McFarland, Mike Parson, State Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe, Ashcroft, Gregg Keller, Eigel’s, “, Eric Greitens, Flamethowers, Donald Trump, Kristi Noem’s, Evan Perkoski, it's, ” “, Javed Ali, Braddock, ” Eigel's, Ali, he’s, ___ Hanna, ___, John Hanna
Organizations:
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Associated Press, ”, American University, Republicans, Twitter, Missouri Republicans, Gov, State, AP, GOP, Ku, Navy, Senate, Name, torching, Ku Klux Klan, University of Connecticut, University of Michigan
Locations:
Mo, St, Missouri, Washington, Defiance , Missouri, Durham , North Carolina, Jefferson City, U.S, Arizona, Alabama, South Dakota, Topeka , Kansas