A picture of a mass running event in Ethiopia was misrepresented online as a rally in India’s capital staged by supporters of a jailed opposition leader in March 2024. The image surfaced with the false claim\u00a0as thousands took to the streets of Delhi to protest the detention of Arvind Kejriwal<\/a><\/span><\/span>, a key leader in an alliance formed to compete against Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/a><\/span><\/span> in India’s upcoming national elections.<\/h3>\nThe picture, showing a long stretch of an avenue filled with a massive crowd,\u00a0was shared on social media platform X<\/a> on March 31.<\/p>\nIt surfaced the same day supporters of Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister, rallied in the capital to protest<\/a> his arrest in connection with a long-running corruption probe, allegations he has denied.<\/p>\nHis supporters said the arrest was aimed at sidelining challengers to Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the marathon six-week national elections beginning April 19.<\/p>\n
The post falsely claimed the picture showed a rally for Kejriwal in the Ramlila Maidan public ground at the capital.<\/p>\n
“Scenes outside Ram Lilla Maidan at 12 PM Today. Sea of Yellow Army marching towards Ramlilla Maidan in support of Arvind Kejriwal at INDIA Rally. BJP shivering,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"<span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div]()
Screenshot of the false post, taken on April 2, 2024<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThe picture was also shared with a similar false claim elsewhere on X<\/a> as well as on Facebook here<\/a> and\u00a0here<\/a>. It actually shows attendees of the Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa, the capital of the east African country.<\/p>\nMass running event<\/strong><\/h3>\nA reverse image search on Google found the picture shared in a post on X<\/a> by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia on January 23, 2022 (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\nThe post, which included three other pictures, was captioned: “#GreatEthiopianRun. The biggest running event in #Africa. Take part in it next time and have fun!” It did not indicate when the picture was taken.<\/p>\n
Below is a screenshot comparison of the picture falsely shared online (left) and the one published by Ethiopia’s foreign ministry (right):<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"<span>Screenshot]()
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It surfaced the same day supporters of Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister, rallied in the capital to protest<\/a> his arrest in connection with a long-running corruption probe, allegations he has denied.<\/p>\n His supporters said the arrest was aimed at sidelining challengers to Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the marathon six-week national elections beginning April 19.<\/p>\n The post falsely claimed the picture showed a rally for Kejriwal in the Ramlila Maidan public ground at the capital.<\/p>\n “Scenes outside Ram Lilla Maidan at 12 PM Today. Sea of Yellow Army marching towards Ramlilla Maidan in support of Arvind Kejriwal at INDIA Rally. BJP shivering,” it said.<\/p>\n The picture was also shared with a similar false claim elsewhere on X<\/a> as well as on Facebook here<\/a> and\u00a0here<\/a>. It actually shows attendees of the Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa, the capital of the east African country.<\/p>\n A reverse image search on Google found the picture shared in a post on X<\/a> by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia on January 23, 2022 (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\n The post, which included three other pictures, was captioned: “#GreatEthiopianRun. The biggest running event in #Africa. Take part in it next time and have fun!” It did not indicate when the picture was taken.<\/p>\n Below is a screenshot comparison of the picture falsely shared online (left) and the one published by Ethiopia’s foreign ministry (right):<\/p>\nMass running event<\/strong><\/h3>\n