CLAIM: Progressive groups are proposing a boycott of Olive Garden because of Italy’s election of far-right Giorgia Meloni as Italy’s first female premier, saying in a statement that “Pizza and pasta are now symbols of worldwide white supremacy.”
AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. The claim originated in a satirical tweet, but it was shared on other platforms without such a disclaimer and interpreted by some to be fact.
THE FACTS: The satirical tweet was posted Tuesday and comes after a party with neo-fascist roots won the most votes in Italy’s national election, as The Associated Press has reported.
“BREAKING: Progressive groups call for national boycott of Olive Garden after Italy elects ‘fascist’ Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni,” reads the tweet from a conservative personality with more than 50,000 followers. “’Pizza and pasta are now symbols of worldwide white supremacy,’ they wrote. ‘We must stand against any establishment serving this fascist food.’”
The account that posted the tweet includes in its Twitter bio a disclaimer that “BREAKING = Satire.”
But screenshots of the tweet were later spread on Facebook, with no direct indications that it was intended as satire, leading some users to express it was real.
“Absolute nonsensical drivel from the left, as always,” one user commented. Another wrote: “These people are so scared of what is coming. They are insane.”
Turnout in the Italian election Sunday was a historic low of 64%, the AP reported.
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This is part of AP’s effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.