Laura Loomer

Laura Elizabeth Loomer (born May 21, 1993) is an American far-right and anti-Muslim conservative political activist, white nationalist, conspiracy theorist and internet personality.

She transferred to Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.

Loomer is Jewish.

In March 2015, Loomer used a concealed video camera to record her conversations with Barry University officials, discussing the idea of starting a club called "Sympathetic Students in Support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria".

The school apparently asked only that the club's name be changed to "Students in Support of the Middle East".

James O'Keefe of Project Veritas, a right-wing organization known for producing secretly recorded and deceptively edited undercover audio and video investigations about media organizations and left-leaning groups, released the video of the encounter, alleging that it captured a university official unfazed by the idea of an on-campus organization to support ISIS.

Shortly thereafter, the university suspended Loomer for violating the student code of conduct and a professor shown in the video filed criminal charges against her for recording him without his knowledge.

At the time, Loomer was an honors student in her senior year and the president of Barry University's Young Republicans Club.

According to a Hillary Clinton campaign official, Loomer and two other women posing as Clinton supporters attempted to "entrap" campaign workers into accepting illegal cash donations in July 2015.

The official said the campaign had complied with the law.

On November 8, 2016, the day of the U.S. presidential election, Loomer went to a polling station dressed in a burqa and asked for a ballot under the name of Huma Abedin.

Until 2017, Loomer worked for Project Veritas.

She reported for the Canadian far-right website The Rebel Media during the summer of 2017, resigning that September.

In August 2017, she was one of several counter-jihad activists who were appointed "Shillman Fellows", with Robert J. Shillman contributing to her salary.

She has also occasionally reported for the American far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website InfoWars, as well as the Geller Report and the American Freedom Defense Initiative.

On June 10, 2017, she gave a speech to a crowd of "anti-Sharia" marchers in New York City organized by ACT for America and condemned "liberals who aligned themselves with Sharia law."

She put a burqa on the Fearless Girl statue at Bowling Green in lower Manhattan.

On June 16, 2017, Loomer disrupted a Shakespeare in the Park presentation of Julius Caesar in New York City by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after the title character was assassinated.

The Delacorte Theatre production reimagined Julius Caesar as Donald Trump with a Slovenian-accented actress as his wife, Calpurnia.

Before being escorted offstage by security, Loomer shouted, "This is violence against Donald Trump! Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!"

Loomer was arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing.

Earlier in the week, performances of the play had elicited criticism for depicting women and minorities perpetrating the violent assassination of Trump as U.S. president.

Public Theater New York responded by saying although they are "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media".

On June 19, Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post wrote that she did not believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, but was looking for attention and to collect a $1,000 bounty that alt-right social media personality Mike Cernovich had offered to anyone who disrupted the production.

Appearing on the Fox News program Hannity a few days after her arrest, Loomer said she knew that disrupting the play would result in criminal charges against her.

During the interview, she objected to the depiction of Caesar in the play and accused the left of "systematically and programmatically" using "free expression as a pretext to incite violence."

A "Free Laura" website soliciting donations for her arrest had been purchased by Loomer's employer, Rebel Media owner Ezra Levant, six hours before the play started.

Loomer also promoted a crowdfunding page for donations, which received $12,385 from 241 contributors, more money than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.

On January 14, 2019, Loomer convinced several men she met in a Home Depot parking lot, who she claimed were undocumented, to jump the fence with her at Nancy Pelosi's Napa, California, home.

The group set up a tent on Pelosi's lawn to protest immigration before being removed by police.

She was the Republican nominee to represent Florida's 21st congressional district in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections, losing to Democrat Lois Frankel.

She also ran in the Republican primary for Florida's 11th congressional district in 2022, narrowly losing to incumbent Daniel Webster.

Loomer has worked as an activist for several organizations, including Project Veritas, the Geller Report, The Rebel Media and InfoWars.

Loomer gained notoriety as a result of being banned from numerous social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, payment processors, vehicles for hire, and food delivery mobile apps for various reasons, including violating policies on hate speech and posting misinformation.

Loomer has also been banned and removed from events, and had press credentials revoked, for harassment and causing disturbances.

In April 2023 it was reported that Donald Trump wanted to hire Loomer for a campaign role.

However the idea was said to be met with backlash from Trump's team, who described hefty resistance to her involvement, as well as warnings from Marjorie Taylor Greene over hiring a "documented liar".

Since October 2023, Loomer has written and posted false claims about the Israel–Hamas war.

Loomer and her two brothers were raised in Arizona.

She attended Mount Holyoke College, leaving after one semester; she said she felt targeted for being conservative.