Witch hunt

A witch hunt is a mob activity whereby witches are identified and persecuted. More generally, it applies to overzealous and irrational pursuit of imaginary villains.

The activity arose in the Middle Ages in Europe and then spread to Massacheussetts in the 17th Century. The most famous witch hunts were the Salem Witch Trials, possibly brought on through a combination of religious fundamentalism and ingestion of moldly rye bread containing a hallucinogen.