The Guardian Did Not Report Michael Spencer Is Funding a Militia in the Congo

27th January 2022

The Guardian Did Not Report Michael Spencer Is Funding a Militia in the Congo

The circulating screenshot has been digitally altered (Twitter).

The Claim

The Guardian reported that Michael Spencer, a member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords, was funding a Congolese militia.

News posted on

Gumba Antony

The Colloidal Structure 🇰🇪

Ochieng' Ogodo

Queen Of The North

Emerging story

Users on social media shared a screenshot of a Guardian story. The circulating screenshot purports to show a story about Michael Spencer, a member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords, funding a Congolese militia.

This is the man with Oscar sudi the other day. #UkShouldTellUs pic.twitter.com/nMDLoaMHDe
— Queen Of The North (@QueenHezena) January 7, 2022

#UkShouldTellUs what is Michael Spence is doing in the country despite the fact that he has been accused of various rogue charges in various parts of the world? @UKinKenya @KenyaMissionUK pic.twitter.com/ydqKsncjVi
— The Colloidal Structure 🇰🇪 (@Colloidal_) January 7, 2022

Misbar’s Analysis

The alleged front page and article about Spencer are fake, as the circulating screenshot has been digitally altered. On Dec. 12, 2019, the Guardian tweeted the actual front page of the print edition newspaper that was fabricated.

Guardian front page, Thursday 12 December 2019: Corbyn urges voters to deliver ‘shock to the establishment' pic.twitter.com/dCyYOd2nTv
— The Guardian (@guardian) December 11, 2019

The screenshot circulated does not appear on The Guardian's website or their verified Facebook and Twitter pages. Spencer funding a Congolese militia, according to Misbar, was not reported in any credible news source.

This is not the first time that news headlines have been digitally altered; Misbar has previously debunked fabricated headlines and front pages.