A Washington Post exposé has named the woman behind “Libs of TikTok”—an anti-LGBTQ+ Twitter account influential in right-wing circles—revealing she once claimed to have attended the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The account’s Brooklyn-based creator, Chaya Raichik, posted under various account names before settling on Libs of TikTok in April 19, 2021. The anonymous account quickly rose to prominence thanks to support from right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, and over time, Raichik stepped up attacks on the LGBTQ community and even began influencing legislation, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “Libs of TikTok is basically acting as a wire service for the broader right-wing media ecosystem,” said Ari Drennen, of the watchdog group Media Matters. “It’s been shaping public policy in a real way, and affecting teachers’ ability to feel safe in their classrooms.” According to the Post, Raichik claimed to be at the Jan. 6 riot, where she tweeted updates as the situation heated up. “They were rubber bullets from law enforcement. 1 hit right next to me,” she wrote. Later, she claimed the riot was calm compared to a “BLM protest.”
