FAKE: CNN Reporters Share Photoshopped Image of ‘Tunisian Protests’
Peter D'Abrosca
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A pair of CNN hacks shared an image Monday that allegedly depicted Tunisian citizens protesting a visit from Saudi Arabian government officials which turned out to be photoshopped.
“The [sic] IS the shot of the day as Tunisians, who managed to preserve their revolution against tyranny, protest the upcoming visit of #Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. #Khashggi #Tunisia” CNN war correspondent Ben Wedeman said, sharing a photo of Tunisian man holding a chainsaw in a crowd of protestors.
Wedeman shared the fake photo with his 126,000 followers before CNN’s Jim Sciutto piled on.
“Wow,” he said, spreading the fake news to his 280,000 followers.
Shortly thereafter, a Twitter user called “samarkand” shared the real image, and alerted the esteemed purveyors of information over at CNN that their version was a fake.
“As much as I loathe Saudi Arabia’s government, it does appear that this is a photoshopped image, cased on one that tineye.com finds appearing as early as January, 14, 2011,” the user said. “(If you zoom in on yours, you’ll see hoe the hand blurs under the chainsaw.)”
Turns out, this was actually the photo of seven years ago – not the “photo of the day,” as Wedeman claimed. The Tunisian in the original photo appears to be holding a bird house. Hat tip to Fox’s Stephen Miller, who compiled the three images in a Tweet.
CNN really wanted to forward the narrative that Americans should be outraged over the death of a Muslim Brotherhood operative, and that we, too, should demand action against Saudi Arabia. Successfully conveying that narrative would make President Donald J. Trump, who has refused to go to war with Saudi Arabia over a the death of a terrorist. Jamal Khashoggi, a known Muslim Brotherhood-linked Washington Post columnist was murdered by the Saudi Arabian government.
“Deleted tweet about Tunis protest,” Wedeman later Tweeted. “Turns out it was fake.”
“Deleted my RT as well,” Sciutto replied.
“Turns out it was fake” would make an apt slogan for the fine folks over at CNN.
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