No, viral video does not show Muslims protesting in Mumbai

What is the claim?

A video is circulating on social media with claims that it shows people from the Muslim community protesting in Mumbai. 

The viral video shows a large crowd gathered on a coastal road. It surfaced after thousands of Muslim protesters hit the streets of Mumbai, demanding the arrest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane and preacher Ramgiri Maharaj. Several users have shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, calling it a "Muslim rally."  

One user wrote, "Whoever wanted to see where the Muslims are, look here today; Muslims are here 🔥. If you provoke me, I won't let you go. Remember, a sleeping lion doesn't attack unless it is awakened, and if it wakes up, understand that it will be difficult for you to escape." 

Archived versions of such posts are here, here, and here. 

Screenshots of some of the social media posts. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the claim is false. The viral video actually shows people waiting for the India team to arrive for the victory parade in Mumbai following the T20 World Cup win in July 2024.

How did we find the truth?

We conducted a reverse image search on keyframes of the viral video. We found that a Facebook user based in Mumbai shared the video (archived here) on July 5, stating that it shows crowds gathered in the city to welcome the Indian cricket team.

We found several similar videos showing a large crowd gathered to welcome the India cricket team at Marine Drive in Mumbai. The Print published a similar video (archived here) on YouTube on July 4, titled, "Cricket fans throng Mumbai's Marine Drive to witness India's victory parade." 

Both videos were captured from a rooftop and show the same location. Upon comparison, we noted several cars stuck in a line and lamps with red posters in both videos.

Comparison shows the similarities between the viral video and the video published by The Print. (Source: X/YouTube/Modified by Logically Facts)

News 18 Marathi and Channel 5 Tamil (archived here) shared similar visuals.

Thousands of people gathered to welcome the parade, which traveled from Marine Drive to Wankhede Stadium in an open-top bus.

We also geolocated the place on Google Street View, confirming it was captured at Marine Drive in Mumbai. We identified two buildings in the video published by The Print and on Google Street View.

Comparison between the video by The Print and the location on Google Street View. (Source: X/Google Maps/Modified by Logically Facts)

Recent protests in Mumbai

On September 23, a large group of Muslim community members, led by former MP Imtiaz Jaleel of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), marched through the streets of Mumbai. They demanded action against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane and preacher Ramgiri Maharaj, accusing them of making hate speeches. The rally, titled "Iranga Samvidhan Rally," attracted more than 12,000 attendees.

The verdict

An old video captured during the T20 World Cup victory parade was shared with the false claim that it showed footage of members of the Muslim community protesting in Mumbai. The viral clip was recorded on July 4, 2024, at Marine Drive and is unrelated to the recent protests in Mumbai.