The “Brantford Boomer” Incident: How a Viral Moment Changed Matt Janes’ Life

A single, impulsive gesture has turned Matt Janes of St. Thomas, Ontario, into the center of a viral storm. Known now as the so-called “Brantford Boomer”, Janes regrets the actions that led to online abuse targeting not just him, but his family and past affiliations.

The Impulsive Gesture That Went Viral

During a Mark Carney rally in Brantford, Ontario, Janes was photographed flashing two middle fingers at protesters outside the venue. The photo quickly went viral on social media, where many criticized Janes, dubbing him the “Brantford Boomer.” As memes and posts of the image spread across platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok, Janes became the subject of online harassment.

Janes, a Liberal campaign volunteer, insists the gesture wasn’t aimed at young Canadians or Carney’s supporters. Instead, he says it was directed solely at the protesters, who were shouting conspiracy theories and offensive comments as he and others waited to enter the rally. According to Janes, the protesters were filming and mocking them, prompting him to react impulsively.

The Fallout: Online Abuse and Harassment

Since the incident, online attacks have targeted Janes. He describes the past week as “a week from hell,” with hundreds of comments forcing him to delete his Facebook page. Not only did people target him, but they also targeted family businesses and organizations he’s associated with. Negative reviews, emails, and calls bombarded his wife’s former business, a St. Thomas yarn store.

Jolyn Gardner, his wife, who sold the store years ago, expressed her frustration: “We are a small business just trying to do our work, and it’s causing a lot of upheaval for no reason.”

The Personal Toll

The viral attention has taken a heavy toll on both Janes and his wife. He shares that the situation has made his wife self-conscious about leaving the house, and they hope the incident dies down after the election. “What these people want is to discourage active participation in the politics of our country,” Janes said, noting the consequences of his actions have stretched far beyond the initial moment.

Expert Opinion: The Impact of Viral Moments

Matt Earle, a reputation expert, describes incidents like Janes’ as increasingly common in the age of social media. He highlights the traumatic impact viral moments can have on individuals with no public platform or fame. “It’s very hard to deal with mentally. Usually, it’s quite unfair, and people are not really taking any time to learn anything about you,” Earle says.

While viral moments tend to fade, Earle warns that the remnants of such incidents linger on the internet, making it difficult for those involved to move on. His advice? Stay quiet, issue a clear statement, and ride out the storm.

A Lesson in Impulsivity

Janes admits that he was naive when he made the gesture, and if faced with a similar situation again, he would ignore those trying to provoke him. “I gave the protesters the reaction they were looking for,” he said, adding that he deeply regrets his actions. Despite the viral fallout, Janes hopes to return to his life and work without the constant scrutiny.

More…

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/brantford-boomer-1.7517995
• https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/federal-election-viral-brantford-boomer-photo-causes-stir-in-st-thomas
• https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianConservative/comments/1k4pa2k/is_the_intent_from_people_to_abuse_matt_janes