Migrants

Does a video on social media showing garbage scattered across Frankfurt's Old Town in Germany accurately attribute the trash to "the consequences of mass immigration"? No, that's not true: The claim on social media misled about the cause of the scene. In reality, the footage showed litter and debris left by soccer fans who arrived in the city to watch…

Does video show Irish police walking with schoolchildren in Dublin to protect them from asylum-seekers living in a tent camp? No, that's not true: The police told Lead Stories that the videos shared on social media showed a routine practice of community units helping local schools navigate field trips. The statement "categorically rejected" the connection between camps and law enforcement's…

Does a video in a social media post show "Muslim migrants" destroying public property because an Israeli singer was featured in the Eurovision song contest? No, that's not true: The footage shows a 2009 anti-Israel demonstration in Sweden that turned violent. That 2009 demonstration occurred during a tennis tournament and was not related to that year's Eurovision contest, which was…

Was German politician Marie-Thérèse Kaiser convicted and fined in May 2024 solely for sharing statistics regarding sexual assaults committed by Afghan immigrants? No, that's not true: Kaiser was found guilty of "incitement to hatred" under the German Criminal Code, not merely posting government figures. The law stipulates that individuals who incite hatred against specific groups based on nationality, race, religion…

Did a Mexican nonprofit issue a flyer that features its logo and encourages migrants along the southern border of the U.S. to vote for President Joe Biden? No, that's not true: Gaby Zavala, the founder of the nonprofit, Resource Center Matamoros, told The Associated Press the organization does not know the origin of the flyers. She added that her group…

Did a migrant who was angry that he had not received a packet of government benefits throw a rock from an interstate overpass, nearly killing a woman? No, that's not true: This story appears to be based on a 2014 incident that occurred along Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. In that case the perpetrators throwing rocks were teenage boys from Pennsylvania,…

Did 2 million voters register without a photo ID in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Texas during the first three months of 2024? No, that's not true: Election officials from these three states told Lead Stories that this figure from a social media post does not represent the number of new voters actually registered in their states without a photo ID during…

Did the Chicago mayor tell migrants they can "just rob Americans" if they run out of debit card funds? No, that's not true: The mayor never said this. The fabricated quotes came from a satire article posted by The Daily Wasp, a website that sports its disclaimer right at the top of the page: "Stinging satire. Biting humor. Liberals beware."…

Was the captain of the Dali cargo vessel that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 24, 2024, Ukrainian? No, that's not true: A representative of the company operating the ship confirmed to Lead Stories that all 22 crew members on board were Indian nationals. The claim about the Ukrainian captain purportedly being in charge of Dali…

Did Elon Musk encourage a boycott of Tyson Foods as of March 23, 2024? No, that's not true: There is no such statement on Musk's X account. The claim originated from a satirical website, and Musk doesn't appear to be involved in calls for a boycott of Tyson Foods at the time of writing. The claim appeared in a post…