Video of 'Death to America' chant at DNC is altered | Fact check
The claim: Video shows 'Death to America' chant at DNC
An Aug. 21 Instagram video (direct link, archive link) shows a large crowd cheering for Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention. Chants of "death to America" can be heard in the video.
"Chanting 'Death to America' at the Democratic National Convention," reads on-screen text.
The post garnered more than 900 likes in two days. Other versions of the claim were shared on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: Altered
The chant was digitally added to footage of the convention. The audio originated from a video of a 2020 protest against police brutality.
Anti-American chant edited into DNC video
Former first lady Michelle Obama expressed her support for Vice President Kamala Harris to a raucous crowd on Aug. 20 at the DNC. Videos showing the crowd chanting, "Death to America" aren't authentic, however.
The original video of Obama was shared on X by the executive editor of the liberal group Occupy Democrats, Grant Stern. Neither Stern's video nor footage of the speech captured by news outlets shows any such chant by the audience.
Fact check: Posts on California passing during DNC roll call are missing context
The chanting audio originated from a video shared on social media in August 2020 that shows a large group of people, some in masks, marching down a street at night. Among those who shared the footage at the time were former Donald Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington and conservative news outlet the Daily Caller, who both reported the video was captured at a protest in Oakland, California.
The video came days after protestors were arrested in Oakland following the August 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Paste BN reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Lead Stories and AFP also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
- Grant Stern, Aug. 20, X post
- Democratic National Convention (YouTube), Aug. 22, First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention
- PBS NewsHour (YouTube), Aug. 20, WATCH: Michelle Obama speaks at 2024 Democratic National Convention | 2024 DNC Night 2
- GoRevolt, Aug. 30, 2020, X post
- Liz Harrington, Sept. 3, 2020, X post
- Daily Caller, Aug. 31, X post
- San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 29, 2020, Police fire smoke bombs and a stun grenade in noisy Oakland march, arresting more than 12 protesters
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