The Claim: Georgia Sheriff’s Office Warned of ‘White Supremacists’ Planning Attacks on Black Women Between Nov. 1 and Inauguration

A Facebook post from November 1 (direct link, file link) warns of an alleged threat against the population of one of the most populous counties in Georgia.

“Hey ladies, I just received this from a friend who works at the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s office,” the post begins. “Be alert. Last night, a deputy told a family that local white supremacists/KKK members originating from Lexington, North Carolina, are planning to attack between now and the inauguration.”

She continues: “They are plotting against black people, especially black women because in their eyes we are easy targets! Please stay tuned!

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Our rating: False

There is no evidence of such a threat or warning from authorities. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office stated that it is not aware of any election-related threats toward any specific group of people.

The sheriff’s office has not received the threats described in the post

in a statement issued November 2 on his Facebook page, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office He said he was not aware of any such threats. Gwinnett County is northeast of Atlanta.

“We have not received any information indicating threats to any group during Election Day or after,” the statement said. “Hate speech like this is intended to instill fear in the community and prevent us from exercising our constitutional rights.”

The sheriff’s office added that it would work with local, state and federal authorities to investigate any election-related threats.

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Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett also debunked the claim, saying in a November 3rd Statement that “we validate that this message is false through our sources, such as the FBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) and other criminal intelligence agencies.” The county is east of Atlanta.

Some experts are concerned about the potential for election-related violence, especially if the race is close while votes are still being counted in the days after Nov. 5, as USA TODAY previously reported.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Check your fact, Politifacto and snopes also debunked the claim.

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This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Georgia sheriff’s office debunks election threat claim | Fact Check