Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Burning Man disaster was an ‘act of God’ and trapped revellers are ‘brainwashed’
Rampant – and debunked – conspiracy theories have spread online about the chaotic festival in the Nevada desert
Marjorie Taylor Greene has claimed that Burning Man revellers are being “brainwashed” into believing the washout has been caused by the climate crisis – which she claims was an act of God.
The Republican congresswoman and notorious conspiracy theorist joined fellow conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on his Info Wars show on Sunday night, where they both launched into their beliefs about the festival in the Nevada desert.
“There’s 73 to 75,000 in the Nevada desert right now at this Burning Man. They’re locked in,” the far-right lawmaker said.
“They’re not allowed to leave and they’re basically probably being brainwashed that climate change is the cause of it and it’s going to destroy the Earth.”
She added: “And they’re, they’re feeling the panic. So, what’s going to happen, Alex?”
Ms Greene went on to claim that the revellers would return home with their “stories to tell” about climate change, claiming that liberals would use the disastrous event to launch into their own “movement”.
“It’s the same thing, same way they launch any kind of movement,” she said.
“After this is over and Burning Man and these 75,000 people dispersed and they go back home, they’re gonna have these stories to tell and how terrible [it] is and how we have to do everything possible to stop climate change. It’s caused by humans and it’s carbon.”
She added: “It’s the Left’s new lie they’re going to put on the American people and try to get everyone behind [it]... this is what they’re brainwashing people to believe.”
Instead of admitting that the extreme flooding is another result of climate change, Ms Greene and Jones – who was ordered to pay $1.44bn after spreading lies that the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting was a hoax – claimed that the festival has actually been rocked by something more divine.
“Well, you know, God has a way of making sure everyone knows who God is,” Ms Greene said.
Around 70,000 attendees found themselves trapped at the Burning Man festival over the weekend after the Black Rock Desert was drenched by an unexpected rainstorm.
The heavy rainfall turned the normally dry desert into a sea of mud, prompting organisers to shutter the entrance to the festival and tell attendees already there to hunker down.
Revellers were urged to conserve water, food and fuel and shelter in place until the storm passed.
Officials revealed on Saturday that one person had died at the Nevada desert festival, sparking further fears for the safety of those stuck on site.
New details have now been released about the death with Burning Man Communications saying in a statement on Sunday that it was “unrelated to the weather”.
The organisation said that the man, who is believed to be around 40 years old, had been found on the playa on Friday.
Emergency responders tried to resuscitate him but he passed away.
The identity of the man has not been released but his next of kin has been notified.
No further details are known at this time with the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office continuing to investigate the death.
While rain continued to fall on Sunday, event organisers were expecting better conditions on Monday and are planning to open the site to allow revellers to leave sometime during the day.
“We will be opening for Exodus on Monday morning 9/4. We will inform the community as soon as we make the decision by 9am,” a statement from Burning Man read on Sunday evening.
The festival is also ploughing on with plans to burn its iconic effigy later today after it was postponed due to the severe rain and flooding.
“The Man burn will not happen tonight, Sunday, it is now scheduled for Monday 9/4, at 9pm,” the festival said in an update on Sunday evening.
Ms Greene isn’t the only person to jump on the chaotic event with conspiracy theories.
The drama has also led to the spread of rampant – and debunked – theories online including false claims of an Ebola outbreak.
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