Supporters of President Donald Trump said they forced House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to denounce the violent Antifa group by circulating an Internet meme with a false quote.
A Twitter user known as Microchip told Politico, "pro-Trump trolls forced Speaker Ryan to bend the knee."
The saga began after the violent riots earlier this month between white supremacists and antifa counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump denounced both sides, while Ryan denounced the neo-Nazis involved but not specifically the other groups involved.
A Twitter account called Cambridge Antifa tweeted a collage this week that included a made-up quote from Ryan:
That prompted Ryan's office to issue a statement that made it clear the quote was false and that Ryan denounced Antifa.
"Speaker Ryan believes, as is obvious, these individuals are left-wing thugs, and those who are committing violence need to be arrested and prosecuted," Ryan's spokeswoman AshLee Strong told The Daily Caller. "Antifa is a scourge on our country."
Conservatives have been criticizing Antifa for weeks because of their violent behavior. This week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined the fray and condemned the group's violent actions.
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