Video Depicts Animal Rights Activist, Not Muslim Doctor
The Claim
A video depicts a Muslim doctor who was attacked for her religion.
News posted on
Emerging story
In July 2020, a video began circulating online that depicts an injured woman discussing being attacked. Social media users began sharing the video widely, claiming it shows a doctor who was beaten for being Muslim. Misbar has chosen not to post the video due to its graphic content, but you can view it here.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar watched the video and found that the injured woman never discusses being a doctor or that she was attacked for being Muslim. Instead, she says that she and her team were “beaten up” while they were “catching dogs.”
Further, Misbar was able to locate the woman in the video. Ayesha Christina Benn is the founder of Neighborhood Woof, an animal rights organization. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Benn said about the attack: “We were corralling the last dog when a resident enquired about us and our work. I briefed him and continued our work. The man and his family members then started arguing with my two colleagues.”
She told Indian Express that she was trying to catch stray dogs for sterilization when she and her team were attacked.
