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The initial discussions about Pizzagate gained momentum following the release of leaked emails from John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, via WikiLeaks. Certain phrases and references within these emails were interpreted by some as coded messages pertaining to child trafficking. As the narrative evolved, social media began buzzing with allegations, leading many to declare the existence of a hidden pedophile ring operating under the guise of a family-friendly pizzeria.
The fervor surrounding Pizzagate reached a boiling point when an armed man fired shots inside the pizzeria in December 2016, spurred on by the conspiracy theories he had read online, demonstrating the real-world consequences of the conspiracy theory's proliferation.