This Video Does Not Show Italian Drivers Attacking Ukrainian Refugees
The Claim
A video depicts Italian drivers attacking Ukrainian refugees.
News posted on
Emerging story
A video purportedly showing Italian drivers assaulting Ukrainian refugees in the middle of the highway has been widely circulated among MENA news outlets and social media users.
The video was posted online on July 18, 2022, by a Youtube channel with the caption: "Italian drivers were not happy that immigrants/refugees/activists were blocking the road."
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. Our investigation revealed that the video depicts Italian drivers attacking and dragging away environmental activists during a protest on Rome's Raccordo, the city's busiest road, in June 2022.
Environmental Activists Blocked the Street
The video, according to the Daily Mail, shows Italian motorists dragging "Extinction Rebellion" protesters away to allow traffic to pass after many protesters blocked the city's main road holding banners and sitting in a row in front of the traffic jam.
The demonstrators were members of the "Last Generation campaign," an offshoot of the "Extinction Rebellion." The group demands that fossil fuel extraction projects be halted and that more wind and solar energy sources be developed.
Ukrainian Refugees in Italy
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, over 7 million people have crossed the Ukrainian border, with over 2 million returning home. Meanwhile, at least 4.8 million Ukrainian refugees have been registered in Europe, including those who have crossed into neighboring countries.
On April 21, 2022, the Italian Ministry of Interior announced that 98,406 people had arrived in Italy, including 50,875 women, 11,952 men, and 35,579 minors.
Translated by Khadija Boufous
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