TV station apologizes after using DeRay McKesson’s photo for bank robbery story

A local Idaho CBS news affiliate has had to issue a public apology to Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson after the station tweeted a photo of him in an unrelated story about a bank robbery.

The image appeared under the headline, “Would-be robber arrives early at banks to find doors locked.”

The image wasn’t even taken in Idaho, it was snapped during a July 2016 protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

McKesson shared the station’s tweet, with the caption, “I haven’t been anywhere near a bank robbery. FYI.”

KBOI has apologized in a tweet saying, “We messed up. We mistakenly tweeted a photo of @DeRay with an unrelated story link about a bank robbery. We at KBOI are very sorry.”

— Whoopi Goldberg to DeRay McKesson: ‘Get over yourself’ — 

Yet another story on the station’s website showed a different picture of McKesson at the same rally only this time with the headline, “Officer wounded in deadly ambush sues Black Lives Matter.” That photo has since been changed.

Supporters of McKesson have lashed out at the station for their mistake.

The Washington Post used a similar image of McKesson on its reporting on a story that said an unidentified policeman accused Black Lives Matter leaders of “inciting and encouraging violence” at its demonstrations.

The cop pointed to a July 2016 shooting in Baton Rouge in which US Marine sergeant Gavin Long shot police officers, killing three and injuring three others. The unidentified police officer was left disabled after the attack.

McKesson has filed a class action lawsuit against the city, alleging that excessive force was used by police at the protest. He and over 100 others were arrested that day.