Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Civilians don protective gear during anti-government demonstrations in Bangladesh.
Fact
Viral images are from old protests in Myanmar and Hong Kong
Several social media users are circulating a set of three images, claiming that it showed citizens donning protective gear to protect themselves from police brutality during the recent deadly anti-government demonstrations in Bangladesh that forced PM Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India.
Fact Check
Image 1
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to multiple news reports, seen here, here and here, sharing the same photo, stating that it was from Myanmar, where since a military coup on February 1, 2021, the junta has carried out a brutal nationwide crackdown aimed at suppressing widespread public opposition to its rule.
“Demonstrators take shelter and block the road during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar on Wednesday,” read the caption of the photo in the NPR report, dated March 3, 2021, crediting it to Getty Images, which confirms that the viral image is from Myanmar and not Bangladesh.
Image 2
On a reverse image search, Newschecker was led to this Daily Mail report, dated August 24, 2019, sharing the same photo, stating that Hong Kong pro-democracy protests took another violent turn as a standoff in a working-class neighbourhood descended into chaos.
“Protesters take part in an anti-government march in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong on August 24. Hong Kong has been engulfed in protests since early June,” read the caption of the photo. A similar report from August 2019 can be seen here, confirming that the viral image is from Hong Kong and not Bangladesh.
Image 3
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to this New York Times report, dated April 17, 2021, featuring the same photo with the caption reading, “Protesters using slingshots during a protest in Yangon, Myanmar, last month”.
A similar report can be seen here, confirming that the viral image is from the 2021 anti-government demonstrations in Myanmar.
Also Read: Old Video Of US Artistic Swimming Team Performing To AR Rahman’s ‘Taal’ Shared As Paris Olympics
Conclusion
Old images of citizen protests in Hong Kong and Myanmar falsely linked to the 2024 Bangladesh crisis.
Result: Missing Context
Sources
NPR report, March 3, 2021
The New York Times report, April 17, 2021
Daily Mail report, August 24, 2019
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
