FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Looting In Memphis?

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on Facebook allegedly shows looting taking place in Memphis, Tennessee, following the release of police footage of Tyre Nichols.

Verdict: False

The video’s caption is inaccurate. The video dates back to 2019 and takes place in Canada, not the U.S.

Fact Check:

Vice President Kamala Harris attended and spoke at Nichols’ funeral, during which she called for criminal justice reform and urged Congress to act, The Associated Press reported. Nichols was severely beaten by five Memphis law enforcement officers after he fled a routine traffic stop on foot for reckless driving, ABC News reported.

A post claims to show a recent video of looting in Memphis at a liquor store after the video of the death of Tyre Nichols sparked widespread demonstration across the country. “Allegedly looting has started in Memphis,” the caption reads.

This caption is inaccurate. A reverse image search revealed that the video stems from a 2019 incident. AFP reported the video did not take place in the United States, but in a liquor store in Manitoba, Canada.

“I can confirm that this is a video that originated in Winnipeg a few years ago,” Ally Siatecki, a spokesperson for the Winnipeg Police Service, told AFP in an email.

There is no credible news report that suggests this video is related to the protests of Nichols death. (RELATED: Did CNN Lighten The Skin Color Of The Officers Charged In Tyre Nichols’ Death?)

There have been protests in Memphis in the days that followed the release of the bodycam footage. Several instances of looting in Memphis were reported following the release of the Nichols footage, according to Insider. Crowds are still demonstrating a week after the release of the footage, ABC24 reported.

This is not the first time misinformation has spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim Matt Gaetz had $482k in PPP loans forgiven even though doesn’t own a business.

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

Trending