By Pascal Ibe
Claim
The video of a man who slapped former US President, Donald Trump from behind at a rally has been circulating on social media platforms.
Verdict
This video in circulation is MISLEADING.
Findings by FactWatch indicated that someone tried to rush to the stage as Trump was delivering a speech in which he blasted protesters.
The incident occurred at a 2016 rally in Ohio. However, the original clip shows that Trump wasn’t slapped.
Full Text
Disinformation poses an unprecedented threat to democracy in the United States in 2024.
As the presidential election approaches, experts warn that a convergence of events at home and abroad, on traditional and social media — and amid an environment of rising authoritarianism, deep distrust, and political and social unrest — makes the dangers from propaganda, falsehoods and conspiracy theories more dire than ever.
The U.S. presidential election comes during a historic year, with billions of people voting in other elections in more than 50 countries, including in Europe, India, Mexico and South Africa. And it comes at a time of ideal circumstances for disinformation and the people who spread it.
An increasing number of voters have proven susceptible to disinformation from former President Donald Trump and his allies; artificial intelligence technology is ubiquitous; social media companies have slashed efforts to rein in misinformation on their platforms; and attacks on the work and reputation of academics tracking disinformation have chilled research.
The video showing the former United States president, Donald Trump being slapped from behind by man at a rally is currently in circulation.
On Facebook, a user, Emprie Jay posted this video and wrote, *Trump gets a slap in public*. …and no war on any tribe , community or group . Only the offender is accountable and must be sanctioned according to the law ….citizen country… civilized nation…. rule of law .
On YouTube, Olamide Gudoo Online TV shared this same video and said, “American politics is not a joke*Trump gets a slap in public 🤣🤣🤣
See other YouTube users who posted this video Here, Here and Here.
On X, user @Sucessfull1o1 captioned this same video, “Americans no really send you oo! See as Trump chop Moro 🤣
Other X users posted the same video Here and Here
This same video was shared on Instagram recently.
FactWatch also observed that the video circulated in many WhatsApp groups few days ago.
Verification
First, when this Fact Checker uploaded key frames from the video into image verification tool, TinEye, it was discovered that the video first appeared online on March 12, 2016.
Sorted by the oldest on TinEye, FactWatch found a report by ABC news which confirmed that secret Service agents surrounded Donald Trump during a rally in Ohio as a man tried rushing the stage, only a day after he canceled an event over what his team said were safety concerns.
This Fact Checker then did a Google search with the report caption from ABC news. Results from this Google search led FactWatch to the video published by The Guardian.
In the original video, a man jumped a barrier surrounding the stage where Trump was giving speech but was tackled by law enforcement officers.
Check this clip Here and Here.
In a report by Yahoo News, man apparently tried to rush the stage at a Donald Trump rally in Ohio prompting Secret Service agents to surround the Republican presidential frontrunner.
“I was ready for him, but it’s much easier if the cops do it, don’t we agree?” Trump asked the crowd.
ABC News reported that Dayton police later arrested the man and charged him with “disorderly conduct and inducing.
Trump was giving his speech and everyone was into it. And within about a split second somebody from around the bend had jumped over the fence and was charging Donald Trump.”
Conclusion
Social Media users are recirculating a video incident in 2016 at rally in Ohio when a protester tried to rush to the stage where Donald Trump was giving speech.
This video where a man slapped Trump from behind is AI generated.
