It’s been rumored on social media that a “purge” will take place in Milwaukee, Madison, and Fond du Lac, but that’s just a hoax.
The “purge” is based on two movies of the same name: “The Purge” and “The Purge: Anarchy,” which came out last month.
The rumor was reportedly started last week by a high school student in Louisville, but the rumors have spread to other cities.
In Wisconsin, there were rumors of “purges” going down in Milwaukee, Madison, Fond du Lac, and Green Bay.
However, according to WQOW, it’s just a hoax. “A spokesperson at the FBI’s Milwaukee office says they are aware of the hoax, both locally and nationally. Madison Police Spokesperson Joel DeSpain says they too are monitoring the situation and hopes it is nothing more than a hoax,” the station notes.
According to hoax-debunking site Snopes, the whole thing is false.
“Police later confirmed a juvenile’s link to online ”Purge“ fears, noting that he had not been charged but they were continuing to investigate,” Snopes.com says. “While police took Purge rumors seriously in Louisville, local media and sources within the Louisville Metro Police Department agree that weekend criminal activity was quite average.”
