Online conspiracy circles galvanize to proclaim Baltimore bridge collapse a ‘black swan event’

The Dali container vessel after striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on 26 March 2024. Photograph: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Far-right commentators have declared Tuesday’s dramatic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge a “black swan event”, a niche phrase that has recently captured the imaginations of “deep state” conspiracy theorists.

“Nothing is safe,” wrote “manosphere” influencer Andrew Tate on X, about six hours after a container ship collided with the bridge. “Black Swan Event imminent.”