When Henry Winkler posted a tweet implying that an arsonist should be “beaten” “unrecognizable” for starting the fatal wildfires in Los Angeles, he lost his temper. Officials responded to the viral article, which sparked the curiosity of the online community, in an attempt to quell the fervor of the hypothesis before it got out of hand.
Henry Winkler, also known as the incredibly cool Fonzie, took to X only two days after one of the biggest cities in North America began to struggle with wind-fueled wildfires, voicing his worries about the destruction occurring throughout Los Angeles.
The 79-year-old Happy Days star posted on X, “THERE IS AN ARSONIST here in LA.” Winkler, who owns a house in the posh Brentwood region of LA, also added, “May you be beaten you unrecognizable!!!” The suffering you have inflicted!
Fans praised the tweet, which was seen by 7.1 million people, and showered Winkler’s post with encouraging remarks.
One user tweets, “I was wondering about this thought…because no one has said how it was caused.” According to a second, there were “probably multiple arsonists” involved.
“Agreed. That’s what I’ve always believed, and I also suspect who sent them. A third says, “Some people are really envious of California.”
Another user further explores Winkler’s article by posing the question, “Is this an organized network or a single arsonist? Fires have begun in several places.It seems very likely that this is a coordinated endeavor.
There was a lot of support for Fonzie’s open speech, but there was also a lot of criticism.
One person tweets, “Henry, you [used] to be cool now you are a whiny idiot,” while another says, “Conspiracy theories incoming.”
A third adds, “Nice to see you all finally outraged about something other than Trump,” alluding to Winkler’s political inclinations.
“No concrete proof.”
It wasn’t just members of the internet community who tried to discredit Winkler’s charges.
“At this time, there’s no way to know exactly where and how the series of fires started, but an investigation is underway,” the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said in a statement provided to TMZ.
Additionally, according to TMZ, the LAFD acknowledged that its arson team is looking into the local fires. This may sound concerning, but it’s routine procedure for any major fire.
There isn’t “any conclusive evidence” that the fires were started on purpose, California fire chief David Acuna told BBC.
“People are starting fires.”
Winkler’s post, however, is still igniting a contentious online discussion on the potential for the wildfire to be intentional.
In the comments area of Winkler’s post, Stanford University neurobiology professor Andrew Huberman posted a chilling video in which he blames others for setting the fires.
“In LA’s normally non-burning metropolitan zones, people are starting fires. I was present at 302 Pico in Santa Monica when this occurred. Police and the fire department arrived after it was reported. Keep yourself protected and report any action right away. He writes, “We don’t need any more fires out here.”
Ten million people, including Elon Musk, have taken notice of Huberman’s clip and said, “WOW.”
The Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, the two most destructive burns in California history, are among the other disasters for which authorities have not yet determined an official cause.
How do you feel about Winkler’s suggestion that the deadly fires that have killed 24 people so far were sparked on purpose? Kindly let us know what you think, and then tell this tale so we can hear from others!