Earlier on Wednesday, November 22, Fox News and various other channels reported about the Rainbow Bridge explosion. They claimed it appeared like an attempted terrorist attack due to the surreal car crash that resulted in a block of all four bridges on the U.S.-Canada border near Niagara Falls. Here’s the full coverage of the explosion and an update from the FBI and the New York governor.
Was the Rainbow Bridge explosion a terrorist attack?
Although the initial reporting of prominent news sites suggested an attempted terrorist attack, the Rainbow Bridge explosion was a result of the car crash. As per the FBI, a man and woman were traveling at high speed in a 2022 Bentley when they hit a curb, then a guardrail that sent the car flying into the secondary screening area of Rainbow Bridge.
There is no indication of terrorist involvement in the incident on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls at this time.
Grateful to @nyspolice, @NYSDOT, and our local and federal partners who jumped into action. The bridge remains closed and other border crossings have reopened. pic.twitter.com/dnGyJgY7Pj— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 22, 2023
The driver and passenger, who tragically passed away in the accident, is suspected of visiting a US casino after the KISS concert was canceled. The crash is also timed to have occurred after they left the Casino. Fottages on social media show the ruins of the area which many have claimed replicate scenes from the ‘Fast and Furious’ series.
After a thorough examination of these scenes, FBI and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have released a statement confirming that no explosives or other suspicious objects were found on the accident’s site. This report has ignited flames of backlash towards various news outlets, particularly Fox News, which reported the crash as a terrorist attack.
Netizens are displeased with misreporting
Many people have come forward on social media to criticize the misreporting of the accident as an attempted terror attack. ‘Fox News‘ is taking the greatest hit by climbing the real-time ratings with related tags like ‘Rainbow Bridge Terrorist‘ and ‘Fox News Rainbow Bridge.’ The majority of opinions seem to question and criticize the basic principles of journalism, which include fact-checking.
Fox News spent the last 2 hours saying it was a terrorist attack and 6 seconds saying it wasn't, going back to regular programming. The damage has already been done. This network is destroying America.pic.twitter.com/Jxmm1Wq77c
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) November 22, 2023
The car was traveling at a high rate of speed, trying to get around another vehicle, hits a median and goes airborne, according to a video from Niagara Falls
Fox News has walked back its reporting that it was a possible terrorist attack pic.twitter.com/3b3XCF67dB
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 22, 2023
I mean, I’m glad we have a First Amendment and freedom of the press and all, but it should be illegal for Fox News or any major outlet to claim there’s been a terrorist attack without any real evidence. Seems kinda bad for public safety and national security.
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) November 22, 2023
They have also expressed their displeasure with the frequency of misreporting by prominent news outlets. Just a week ago, BBC News published an apology after they misreported that the IDF was attacking a hospital in Gaza in their coverage of the Israel-Hamas War. The original report of Reuters stated that the Israeli defense force was present to help provide necessary utilities at the hospital.
The media outlets which misreported the Rainbow Bridge crash have also rectified their stories but no apologies have come forward yet. The tragic crash resulted in the death of the man and woman driving the car and injured a booth agent. The incident has also greatly affected the citizens who are traveling during the Thanksgiving season.
