Outdated Photo of Crowds in Italy Misused to Spread False Claim About Migrants
The Claim
Italy begins dumping migrants at the door of the Vatican City after Pope Francis said it is a ‘sin’ to reject migrants.
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Emerging story
A photo circulating on social media allegedly shows thousands of migrants being left at the doorstep of Vatican City, following Pope Francis' remarks condemning the rejection of migrants as a sin.
An account on X called “U.S. Ministry of Truth”, shared the photo with the caption: "Italy begins dumping migrants at the door of the Vatican City after Pope Francis said it is a ‘sin’ to reject migrants."
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be satirical. This photo is old and does not show Immigrants in Italy. Moreover, the first X account that posted the image with this caption is a well-known satirical account as its bio confirms.
Image From Pope Francis’ General Audience Miscaptioned Online
Misbar's team conducted a reverse search and found that the photo dates back to 2013. The shot was taken by photographer Andrew Medichini at Associated Press in June 2013 and depicts a general perspective of the crowd in St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis' general audience at the Vatican.
Italy Issues 60-Day Detention Order for MSF Rescue Ship
A 60-day detention order was issued in Italy for a rescue ship run by the nonprofit Doctors Without Borders. Authorities said the vessel, which had carried out three rescue missions on Aug. 23, failed to report its positions correctly.
Doctors Without Borders denied the assertions. "We have been sanctioned for simply fulfilling our legal duty to save lives," it said in a statement.
Following the tragedy, Pope Francis urged for increased entry routes for migrants and a "global governance of migration based on justice, brotherhood, and solidarity." The pope stated that "militarization of borders" will not address the situation.
Francis harshly condemned the treatment of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to access Europe, calling it a "grave sin" not to provide assistance to migrant ships.
"There are those who work systematically and with every means to reject migrants," the Pope stated during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
"And this, when done with conscience and responsibility, is a grave sin," he replied.
Meloni’s Anti-immigration Policy
Giorgia Meloni became prime minister two years ago after vowing to restrict migration during her campaign. Since then, she has enacted policies that limit the arrival of migrants, restrict residence permits, and boost deportations
In September 2023, Italy's right-wing government initiated an immigration crackdown, adopting legislation authorizing police to jail migrants for up to 18 months and mandating the construction of new institutions to keep them.
In the Mediterranean, the Meloni administration has also implemented harsh regulations against charity ships, punishing captains who conduct multiple rescue missions concurrently with hefty fines.
Italy also reached an agreement with Albania under which men coming by boat from North Africa will be transferred to centers in the neighboring nation to have their asylum claims assessed. However, there has been little tangible movement on the intricate program, which, if implemented, will cost Italy €670 million (£560 million) over five years.
Women and children are not included in the deal, and the first batch of males arrived in Albania on November 20 on board an Italian navy ship, three days after being picked up at sea with 85 others.
The number of boat arrivals in Italy dramatically increased during Meloni's first year in office, reaching 125,806 in 2023—nearly twice as many as in 2022. However, arrivals this year have fallen to 44,465, according to the most recent data from the Italian interior ministry.
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