Video is evidence of a recent increase in robberies in Spain by “migrants from the Middle East and Africa.”
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Demonstrators throw metallic fences against police during clashes in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. An Instagram post claimed to show a video of migrants looting a store. But the video was from this protest. (AP)
Video isn’t evidence of recent robberies in Spain by migrants. It’s from a 2020 protest.
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The video is not evidence of a recent increase in robberies involving African and Middle Eastern migrants in Spain. It is from two years ago, during protests against coronavirus pandemic mandates in Barcelona.
Migrants from Africa, the Middle East and Asia have been at the center of a humanitarian crisis in Europe.
But a viral Instagram post baselessly claimed that the migrants are at the center of another problem in Spain.
The Nov. 17 post shows a video of people wearing face masks who break into a store, run inside and come out with bicycles, scooters and other items. The video’s caption says, "Spain. The number of complaints about the robbery of local stores by migrants from the Middle East and Africa is rapidly growing in the country."
This was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
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Though the Instagram post implies that the video is evidence of an increase in recent robberies, by migrants or anyone, it is not. The video is from 2020 and shows scenes from a protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures.
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On Oct. 30, 2020, Libertad Digital reported that people gathered in Barcelona’s city center to protest pandemic measures that had closed businesses such as bars, restaurants and theaters. The demonstration turned riotous when some protesters attacked police and threw barricades, rocks and other items, and broke into stores. A Twitter post dated Oct. 30, 2020, shows the same video from the Instagram post.
The claim that this video is evidence of an increase in recent robberies in Spain by "migrants from the Middle East and Africa" is False.
Our Sources
NPR, France accepts a migrant rescue ship as relations sour with Italy, Nov. 11, 2022
Instagram post, Nov. 17, 2022
Libertad Digital, A demonstration against the restrictions in Barcelona degenerates into a pitched battle against the Mossos, Oct. 30, 2020
Twitter post, Oct. 30, 2020
Twitter post, Oct. 30, 2020
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More by Gabrielle Settles
Video isn’t evidence of recent robberies in Spain by migrants. It’s from a 2020 protest.
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