Graffiti of Zelenskyy and Goebbels in Paris is Fake
The Claim
A photo shows a Graffiti of Zelenskyy and Goebbels in Paris.
Emerging story
Social media users on platforms like X and Telegram, mainly pro-Russians, shared an image that claimed to show graffiti in Paris featuring Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a child seated on the lap of Joseph Goebbels, who was a German philologist and Nazi politician. Media outlet icons are displayed as Goebbels's children in the graffiti.
Some users claimed that the artwork might be the creation of Banksy, a renowned street artist, while others credited it to the French actor and filmmaker Vincent Cassel.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the image and found it to be fake.
The image has no connection to artist Banksy or actor Vincent Cassel. A thorough forensic investigation of the image revealed it to be unreal.
The Image Is Unrelated to Banksy or Vincent Cassel
Banksy's stance on Russia is far from being supportive. Previously, he drew graffiti portraying Putin, dressed as a Judoka, knocked over to the ground by a young Ukrainian boy.
In fact, Bansky created a series of murals in Ukraine and posted them to his Instagram account, which has millions of followers.
Also, the source in Russian, from which the link originates, does not mention Banksy as the drawer of the mural. Instead, it attributes the graffiti to the French actor and filmmaker Vincent Cassel.
Misbar's team conducted searches on Cassel's online social media profiles but found no evidence related to the graffiti.
A Forensic Analysis of the Image
Moreover, Misbar's team conducted a forensic analysis of the image and found it to be fake.
It is obvious that in the unaltered image below, the error levels remain consistent. However, in the manipulated image, various compression artifacts were identified, suggesting that the image might have been pieced together from different sources, with more noticeable errors present on the logos of Western television networks.
This indicates that someone appears to have applied the image and the media outlet logos at different times.
Who Is Joseph Goebbels?
Joseph Goebbels held the position of Minister of Propaganda for the Germans during Adolf Hitler's regime. He was a highly skilled orator and propagandist, responsible for shaping a positive image of the Nazi government among the German population. After Hitler's death, Goebbels briefly served as Chancellor of Germany for a single day. He and his wife, Magda Goebbels, made the harrowing decision to poison their six children before taking their own lives.
In 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's comparison of him to Adolf Hitler with a reference to Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels. Zelenskyy stated during an interview with Fox News Channel that he believed the Russians were employing the same tactics as Goebbels and that their intention was to undermine the world's resistance to such statements made by Lavrov.
Banksy’s Graffiti
Banksy, a renowned graffiti artist renowned for his art's political and social commentary, remains anonymous despite achieving global acclaim. Born in Bristol, England, in 1974, he embarked on his graffiti career during the early 1990s and garnered worldwide attention in 2003 for his provocative street art in London.
Banksy's distinctive style seamlessly blends humor with impactful messages, resonating with admirers who appreciate the cleverness and depth of his creations. His artwork can be discovered on structures, walls, and bridges in towns and cities across the U.K. and around the world, consistently serving as a platform for political or social commentary, sparking contemplation and dialogue.
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