Photo Of Man With US, Saffron Flags Falsely Linked To Capitol Siege

An old photo of a man holding a saffron flag outside the United States Capitol building - seat of the legislative branch of the US federal government, is being shared with a false claim that it shows a pro-Hindutva supporter present during the siege that took place on January 7, 2020.

An armed and angry mob of pro-Trump supporters on Thursday stormed the building and clashed with police just as the US Congress had convened to validate President-elect Joe Biden's presidential win in the 2020 elections. The rioters had entered into several chambers of Capitol, with reports of gunfire and vandalism emerging from the scene, which was condemned by several world leaders of major democracies after the siege.

Also Read: Trump Supporters Storm US Capitol: All You Need To Know

The photo is also being shared in the backdrop of an Indian flag being spotted in a sea of banners of other flags during the US Capitol siege which sparked debate on social media on the presence of an Indian flag at the spot. The flag was raised by an Indian American man identified as Vinson Palathingal also known as Vincent Xavier, who was present among the crowd of Donald Trump supporters raising slogans outside the Capitol reported The News Minute.

In the viral photo, we can see a man holding a saffron flag in one hand and a US flag with the Capitol building behind him and two other people standing beside him.

The viral photo is being shared with the caption which reads, "Hindutva Supported Capitol Hill capture."

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Also Read: Batman At US Capitol Protest? No, This Is An Old Video

FACT-CHECK

BOOM found that the viral photo is from August 2020, when some Indians in the United States had celebrated the foundation laying ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram temple by taking out a tableau around the US Capitol Hill in Washington.

A reverse image search showed the same photo in an article on the foundation ceremony by the Telegraph dated August 5, 2020, crediting to photo agency PTI.

The caption of the photo reads, "Indian community people take out a tableau on Ayodhyas Shri Ram Mandir around the US Capitol Hill to celebrate the ground breaking occasion of the temple, in Washington on Tuesday."

We can see the same man in this photo wearing the same attire present outside the Capitol building with a US and saffron flag in his hands.

One can also see a video report by Hindustan Times on the same below

Also Read: Batman At US Capitol Protest? No, This Is An Old Video