In one case, the IRA set up two opposing Facebook groups in Texas—both fake—called Heart of Texas and United Muslims of America.34 In May 2016, when they had amassed enough followers, the IRA’s Heart of Texas announced on their page a “Stop Islamification of Texas” protest in front of the Islamic Da’wah Center of Houston. Then the IRA announced a counterprotest against “Save Islamic Knowledge” on the United Muslims of America page for the same day. Unwitting followers showed up to fight it out in real life, never knowing that they were all victims of Russian psyops.
