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The Big Lies › 2016 › File PF-0035
Debunked

'Heil Trump' graffiti on Indiana church was painted by its organist

Days after the election, outlets reported that St. David's Episcopal Church in Bean Blossom, Indiana, an LGBT-inclusive parish, had been vandalized with 'Heil Trump', a swastika and an anti-gay slur, and presented it as post-election hate.

First reported Nov 13, 2016 · Talking Points Memo, Chicagoist, national wire and TV coverage
Screenshot of the original report as published
Screenshot of the report as published: talkingpointsmemo.com. Tap to open the source.
Who it helped: Democrats

The incident was presented as evidence that Trump's victory emboldened neo-Nazi and anti-gay hate.

What was reported

Days after the election, outlets reported that St. David's Episcopal Church in Bean Blossom, Indiana, an LGBT-inclusive parish, had been vandalized with 'Heil Trump', a swastika and an anti-gay slur, and presented it as post-election hate.

What actually happened

In May 2017, prosecutors charged the church's own organist, Nathan Stang, with institutional criminal mischief. In a statement to police, Stang said he had staged the attack to spur people to action and acknowledged it was wrong. He later admitted to vandalizing the church.

The proof

Stang's May 2017 criminal charge and his written statement to police admitting he staged the graffiti.

The receipt. Copy this and paste it anywhere:

'Heil Trump' graffiti on Indiana church was painted by its organist — Debunked. Stang's May 2017 criminal charge and his written statement to police admitting he staged the graffiti. Full file: https://www.thepropagandafiles.com/case/bean-blossom-heil-trump-church-graffiti/

Original reporting

Corrections, findings & records

Archived copies

Stories get edited after publication. These open the Internet Archive's earliest saved copy of each original.

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