In a recent development, a video circulating on social media has sparked controversy, with false claims that it depicts pro-Palestine protesters attempting to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. However, an investigation by India TV's Fact Check team has revealed that the video is unrelated to these claims and, in fact, stems from a different event. The video in question, which originally appeared on the now-rebranded social media platform X, was shared by user MeghUpdates with the caption, "Hamas supporters in Turkey wanted to attack the Isreal consulate in Istanbul with fireworks, but... enjoy." This misleading post has also made its way to Facebook.
Upon conducting a reverse image search of keyframes from the video, India TV Fact Check identified an Instagram post from May 28, 2023, which featured the same footage. The Instagram caption clarified that the video documented celebratory fireworks during the aftermath of President Tayyip Erdogan's reelection in Turkey. It read, "Citizens celebrated after almost all the ballot boxes were opened in the second round of presidential elections, but carelessness created dangerous moments."
Subsequently, a keyword search in English and Turkish revealed several news articles from Turkish media outlets, including Hürriyet and En Son Haber. These sources confirmed that the video recorded a celebratory event in the Turkish city of Fatih following the presidential election results on May 28, 2023, which saw Tayyip Erdogan's reelection. During the festivities, a civilian accidentally ignited and dropped fireworks, causing panic among the crowd as they exploded.
Furthermore, Reuters also reported on the same video, offering additional confirmation that it was indeed taken during the Turkish election celebrations. Their report stated, "Fireworks exploded in the hands of a Turkish civilian who - along with thousands of others - was attending a celebration for President Tayyip Erdogan’s reelection on Sunday (May 28) night."
In light of these findings, it becomes evident that the video is unrelated to any attempted attack on the Israeli consulate in Istanbul by pro-Palestinian protesters. The circulation of such misleading content highlights the importance of fact-checking and critical thinking in the age of social media.
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