A six-month old video from Philippines showing a deliveryman removing slices of bread from packets stacked in a vehicle and later re-sealing them, is being shared online with a false and communal caption claiming a Muslim man was trying to spread the novel Coronavirus by spitting on the slices.
The one-minute long video has a Hindi caption claiming 'These Jihadis opened bread packets and spat on them. They are not leaving any stones unturned in spreading Corona. How long will you be safe'.
(Hindi: इन जिहादियों ने ब्रेड के पैकिट खोल खोल कर थूक लगाया | कोरोना फैलाने में ये कोई कमी नही छोड़ रहे | कहाँ तक बचोगे)
The clip shows a man - his back turned towards the camera - pulling out bread packets from crates stacked in a delivery truck. He opens a packet, pulls out few slices, seals and keeps it back. The man repeats this with other packets throughout the video.
The man removes the twist cable used to seal the bread packet and places it between his teeth before sealing the packets again with the same cable. This action has been misconstrued as the man spitting on the bread slices.
The viral video is shared below and its archived version can be checked here.
Also read Mock Drill Video From UP Goes Viral With Communal Coronavirus Spin
The video is the latest example of misinformation targeting Indian Muslims after after several people who took part in a religious congregation of the Tabligh-e-Jamaat''s Markaz in Nizamuddin West in Delhi in March, tested positive for the coronavirus.
Also read: False: Video Shows Muslims Licking Utensils To Spread Coronavirus
Click here for Live Updates on Coronavirus
Fact Check
BOOM ran a reverse image search on one of the screenshots extracted from the viral clip. We found the same video uploaded on several YouTube pages around September last year. Several news portals also reported the incident.
BOOM came across a report on Philnews.PH which said that the video was recorded in Philippines on September 20 last year.
The report further said that a deliveryman of Gardenia Bakeries was caught on the camera while tampering with bread packets. The report claimed that the deliveryman was 'stealing slices of breads from the packets'. BOOM also came across other reports about the incident.
Another article about the incident mentioned that the baker - Gardenia - had initiated an investigation into the incident.
The logo on the man's t-shirt matches the logo of Gardenia Philippines.
Gardenia Philippines also issued a statement about the whole incident on its Facebook page.
Also read Dated Clip Falsely Shared As Gandhis Violating Lockdown
The company later clarified that the slices of bread taken out from the packets were from 'pulled out' loaves from stores which were meant for disposal. The company had shared another statement on its Facebook page clearing the air around the incident.
Read below the statement shared by Gardenia Philippines on the viral video showing a man tampering with bread packets.
The company's statement makes it clear that the incident did not involve a communal angle.
