Probably yes, at least in broad terms: creating vocal group of evidently fool people is useful for getting two messages across:

- there is freedom of speech and expression: "look at the kind of people who are talking; if there were censorship, they wouldn't be allowed to!"

- associating any idea that differs from the mainstream with obviously crazy ideas to discredit them in the eyes of those who don't understand, who just get swept up in emotion and, out of flock mentality, fight against anything that is "different from the status quo"

I don't know if this one in particular was created or just exploited, but this kind of media baiting has existed since the dawn of time.