Pyramids Didn't Light Up in Solidarity with Beirut

Hind Khoudary

News

5th August 2020

Pyramids Didn't Light Up in Solidarity with Beirut

Image has been circulating since April 18, 2020(SocialMedia)

The Claim

Pyramids in Egypt light up in solidarity with Lebanon after two enormous explosions blasted Beirut’s port on Tuesday.

News posted on

Marwayehiamakeupartist

Emerging story

A photo of the Great Pyramids of Giza lit up with a projection of the Lebanese flag on the ancient Egyptian structure has been widely circulating on social media. The photo has been posted, shared, and retweeted by thousands of social media users. Users claimed that Egypt was expressing their solidarity with Lebanon after at least 100 people were killed and thousands were wounded. Claims were widely circulating across the MENA region.

A photo of Burj Khalifa in Dubai illuminated the Lebanese flag was shared with the photo of the pyramids.

The picture has been also shared by news websites and famous verified accounts.

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar’s reverse image found that the image has been circulating since April 18, 2020.

It is also obvious that the picture has been fabricated.

According to an Egyptian local website, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lit the Pyramids of Giza in blue in celebration of the World Heritage Day, which is the 18th of April of each year. The Ministry used the slogans of the World Heritage Day, sharing responsibility in solidarity with the global challenge to confront COVID-19. We didn’t find any source for the photo circulating in the claims, yet the photo has been widely spread on international news agencies.
However, Burj Khalifa posted the picture in the circulating claim expressing solidarity with Lebanon on their official Twitter account.