Tucker Carlson firing unrelated to street celebration video

This article is more than one year old.
Published on May 3, 2023 at 22:34
4 min read
By Rob Lever, AFP USA

Social media users are sharing a video that purportedly shows New York City residents celebrating Fox News host Tucker Carlson's firing in April 2023. This is false; the footage depicts a celebration after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 US presidential election.

"New Yorkers are going nuts over this Tucker Carlson news," says text over a TikTok video published April 24, 2023 and viewed nearly 700,000 times.

The same clip was shared on Twitter with the caption: "Apparently there's a Tucker Carlson Parade in New York celebrating him leaving Fox News. Needs more cowbell."

Screenshot of a TikTok video taken May 3, 2023

Similar claims have circulated on Facebook. They come after Fox News fired Carlson, the network's most popular host and a frequent promoter of misinformation, in late April days after the broadcaster agreed to a $787.5 million settlement in a defamation case over false claims about the 2020 election.

But AFP found the video shared online was taken November 7, 2020, when Biden was declared the winner of the presidential contest, prompting widespread celebrations in the Big Apple. The same footage has circulated online since at least 2021.

AFP geolocated the TikTok video to the Upper West Side of New York City by using landmarks in the clip, including the Dakota Bar and the Chase bank branch at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and West 72nd Street.

Clues such as Biden T-shirts and face masks suggest the event took place around the 2020 election. AFP found numerous videos published November 7, 2020 (archived here and here) that show celebrations at the same intersection.

New York celebrates. Columbus ave and 72nd st. #NewYork #bidenharis2020 #biden #Election2020results #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/zle3nQrLf6
— Daria Pletneva (@PletnevaDaria) November 7, 2020

AFP matched the people in the TikTok post to the earlier clips by analyzing their clothing. The screenshots below show a couple dressed identically in both videos at the same location.

Screenshot from a TikTok video taken May 3, 2023, with elements outlined by AFP

This screenshot taken May 3, 2023 shows a Twitter video of street celebrations in New York City on November 7, 2020, with elements outlined by AFP

The man wearing a blue-and-white shirt and mask in the TikTok video appears to be the same individual shown in footage tweeted in 2020.

Screenshot of a TikTok video taken May 3, 2023, with elements outlined by AFP

This screenshot taken May 3, 2023 shows tweeted clip from November 7, 2020, with elements outlined by AFP

Additionally, the LGBTQ pride flag in the middle of the street appears to match other videos posted in November 2020.

Screenshot of a TikTok video taken May 3, 2023, with elements outlined by AFP

This screenshot taken May 3, 2023 shows a Twitter video posted November 7, 2020, with elements outlined by AFP

AFP reached out to the account that posted the TikTok video for comment, but a response was not forthcoming. The profile includes the terms "comedy," "acting" and "voiceover."

AFP has fact-checked other claims about Carlson's dismissal here.

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