An old video of a man climbing the minaret of a burning mosque to pull down its crescent moon is being falsely shared by social media users as a recent incident of communal violence in Nepal.
BOOM found that the video is unrelated to Nepal and dates back to 25 February, 2020 when a mosque in Delhi's Ashok Nagar was set on fire by a mob during the Delhi riots.
This video has resurfaced amid the escalating communal violence in Nepal's Terai-Madhesh, which led to the death of three people. The clashes began after a Hindu procession marching towards Kaptangunj Chowk was allegedly stopped by members of the Muslim community who objected to the playing of loud devotional music. Earlier in the day, Hindus allegedly removed a Muslim flag in the area and replaced it with a Hindu one, which aggravated the conflict.
The Claim:
The 19-second video of a mosque engulfed in smoke and a man climbing its minaret with a flag in his hand is being shared with claims that Gen Z citizens are burning down illegal mosques in Nepal.
Archive available here.
What We Found:
1) Video of mosque vandalisation from February, 25, 2020
A reverse image search led BOOM to a post from February 25, 2020, with a caption stating that the video showed a mosque set on fire in Ashok Nagar, Delhi by a Hindu mob.
2) Mosque desecrated during Delhi Riots
A keyword search found news reports confirming that on February 25, 2020 a mosque in Ashok Nagar, Delhi, was set on fire by a mob that shouted "Jai Shri Ram" and "Hinduon ka Hindustan" and paraded around the burning mosque. A man also climbed the minaret and placed a Hanuman flag on the mosque.
The Delhi riots lasted four days, from February 23 to 27, 2020, killing over 38 Muslims and 15 Hindus, and leaving hundreds injured.