FACT CHECK: Viral X Video Does Not Show Protest In London, Predates Israel-Hamas War
A viral video shared on X, formerly Twitter, purports to show a recent pro-Palestine protest in London.
When I fled from the Islamic Republic of Iran, I never thought I would ever see such images of London.
Terrible to see this Islamisation spreading in Europe. pic.twitter.com/OK1OpualkJ
— Darya Safai MP (@SafaiDarya) December 2, 2023
Verdict: False
The video, originally shared on YouTube in August 2021, shows Muslims celebrating Ashura. A spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police Department denied the video was recent in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
Nine people have been arrested over a banner reading, “globalise the intifada,” which was displayed on a building in central London, according to The Guardian. Police also previously arrested demonstrators at a recent protest in Brixton as part of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, The Telegraph reported.
The X video, viewed nearly five million times, purports to show a recent pro-Palestine protest in London. “When I fled from the Islamic Republic of Iran, I never thought I would ever see such images of London. Terrible to see this Islamisation spreading in Europe,” the video’s caption reads. The video was shared on X by Belgian Member of Parliament Darya Safai.
The video does not show a recent protest in London and is also not linked to the current Israel-Hamas conflict. The video, originally shared on YouTube in August 2021, shows Muslims celebrating Ashura. Both a watermark placed on the video and a translation of the video’s description indicate the Ashura celebrations were organized by the Hussaini Association.
In addition, an August 2021 post shared by the Hussaini Association on Instagram shows the route for that year’s Ashura procession. (RELATED: Video Claims To Show Palestinians Faking Their Deaths In Gaza)
Likewise, the viral X video is not featured in any credible news reports about recent pro-Palestine protests that have taken place in London. The London Metropolitan Police Department also said the video was not linked to any current events in a Dec. 3 X post.
“This video has been shared a lot this weekend. We’ve seen a number of comments from people who are under the impression it was filmed recently or that it relates to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. We believe it was actually filmed at an Ashura Day event in 2021. It has no link to current events,” the post reads. The department shared the statement in response to a now-deleted post from Jake Wallis Simons, editor of the Jewish Chronicle.
This video has been shared a lot this weekend. We’ve seen a number of comments from people who are under the impression it was filmed recently or that it relates to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
We believe it was actually filmed at an Ashura Day event in 2021.…
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 3, 2023
Furthermore, a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police Department denied the video was recent in an email to Check Your Fact.
“It isn’t [recent],” the spokesperson said.