Video from 2020 shared as recent attack on journalists and police in London

What is the claim?

Several accounts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have shared a video with the claim that journalists and police were being attacked in London. The caption of one such post read, "🔥🚨 RIOTS: In London this morning, rioters attack journalists and police officers on the street." Misinformation spreader Ian Miles Cheong also shared the video. Archive links to these posts can be accessed here, here, here, and here. 

However, the video is from 2020 and does not show a recent incident. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

What's the truth?

By researching, we found reports from 9 News Australia about its Europe reporter, Ben Avery, who was attacked in London in 2020 while covering the Black Lives Matter protests. A video uploaded by the outlet on their YouTube channel on June 4, 2020, shows Avery being ambushed by a crowd and chased down a road live on air. The 9 News footage shows a protestor grab Avery's microphone out of his hand and run away.

While taken from different angles, both the 9 News video and the viral video show Avery passing a bus stop while the police try to stop the crowd; a house with a golden nameplate is also visible in both. Further, the same building can be seen in the two videos at the end of the pavement Avery is running on.

Similarities in the 9 News video and the viral video (Source: 9 News, X)

Several media outlets, including The Guardian, reported on June 3, 2020, that Avery was assaulted in London. The report mentions that Avery was hit in the head by a bottle that had been thrown. The report says, "One of the mob snatched his microphone and Avery said there were 'dozens of these protesters just chasing after us down the road.'" This description matches the incident seen in the viral video. 

Logically Facts contacted Avery, who told us, "Yes, that video is from 2020."

The verdict

We have marked the claim as misleading as the video is from 2020 and does not show a recent event in London.