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BROOKLYN WEEKLY, MARCH 22, 2020
BY JESSICA PARKS
A doctored Daily News
article falsely claimed that
a Sheepshead Bay mainstay
has tested positive for
coronavirus, setting off a
panic on southern Brooklyn
social media.
The owners of Anatolian
Gyro — on E. 16th Street
and Sheepshead Bay Road
— addressed the false conspiracy,
saying the rumors
had no basis in reality.
“Recently there has
been FAKE NEWS being
passed around between our
fabled neighborhood that
puts Anatolian Gyro in a
bad light,” Metin Turan
wrote in a post on the eatery’s
Facebook page. “We
have NOT been infected,
nor has anyone who tested
positive for any sort of virus
including the coronavirus
visited us.”
Turan said his daughter
fi rst saw the doctored
article posted on the photosharing
app Snapchat —
and then became worried
as the misinformation began
to spread on social media.
The restaurateur’s fears
became a reality the day
after the fake article took
off, when the Turkish food
joint sat unusually quiet —
likely out of unwarranted
fears of the deadly contagion.
The Daily News reporter
who allegedly wrote
the fake story took to social
media to clarify that he had
no knowledge of the supposed
article.
“This image has been
circulating but it seems to
be fake,” wrote Wes Parnell.
“I did not write this
article and it’s not on our
website.”
And while there have
been hundres of cases of
the novel virus reported in
New York City, Mayor Bill
de Blasio clarifi ed that the
infection cannot be spread
through food or drink at a
March 12 roundtable.
Turan said he does not
have any ideas about the
person behind the doctored
image but suspects the culprit
is a competing business.
“It is either competition
or somebody doesn’t like
us,” he said.
A screenshot of a fake news article falsely stating a Sheepshead Bay eatery tested positive for coronavirus.
Image courtesy of Metin Turan
In the days following the
spread of the falsifi ed article,
both city and state government
offi cials banned
dining in restaurants —
and the Sheepshead Bay
eatery has since switched
to only offer take-out and
delivery.
“We are still here to
serve you and make sure
that you still have delicious
food to eat at home during
this period of time,” the
restaurant owners posted
on Facebook on March 17.
“We will continue serving
everything on our menu
(including beverages and
desserts) as ingredients remain
or become available.”
FAKE NEWS!
Doctored article sparks viral
panic at Sheepshead Bay eatery
2020
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