3HMONGTV NEWS (02/18/2020) – A fake article was distributed on social media and then picked up by local Hmong media spreading fear among shoppers and business owners inside Hmong Village shopping center on February 15. The article claimed that there were arrests made by ICE and St. Paul police at Hmong Village shopping center. News of the rumor spread quickly around the country as far as California and even Laos, according to owners of Hmong Village. The owners immediately called those who reported the rumor to pull their newscasts off the air or from social media sites but it was too late.
The food court was empty with only a few shoppers during lunch hours. The owners say this has hurt many businesses and they are not happy about it. Legal action will be taken if necessary against those who first reported this fake news or the person that wrote the article.
