Following a recent attack at Bondi Beach, Australia, which killed 15 people, two videos began circulating on social media. One claimed that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed Pakistan for the attack and announced a visa ban on Pakistani nationals. Another purported to show Pakistanis celebrating the incident.
Both claims are false.
Claim
A six-second video shared on December 15 shows Australian PM Albanese announcing the arrest of a “Pakistani-origin terrorist” linked to the Bondi Beach attack and suspending all visas for Pakistani nationals.
Fact
This claim is false. The video’s audio has been manipulated using Artificial Intelligence. The original footage is from a press conference on August 3, 2022, three year before the Bondi Beach attack. In the 15-minute press briefing, Albanese speaks about climate change, not the attack.
The presser can be seen here
Additionally, Hiya, a deepfake detection tool, rated the online video’s audio 1 out of 100, indicating it is a deepfake. No credible Australian media outlet has reported any such announcement by the PM.
Claim
A 20-second video circulating online allegedly shows Pakistanis celebrating the Bondi Beach attack.
Fact
This claim is false. The video predates the Bondi Beach attack and has been online since 2023. It was shared by several social media users in 2023 which can be seen here and here.
Verdict: Both videos circulating online are misleading and falsely linked to the Bondi Beach attack.
Follow us on @GeoFactCheck on X (Twitter) and @geo_factcheck on Instagram. If our readers detect any errors, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected]
