Photo of World Cup euphoria in Mexico misrepresented as Indonesia demonstration
Clashes broke out in Indonesia’s capital following demonstrations calling for more severe penalties for public officials convicted of corruption in August 2026, but a photo showing a crowd in a street does not show the protest. The image comes from a video recorded during a public viewing event for the 2026 World Cup in Tijuana, Mexico.
“On August 27, there was a massive protest at the parliament. Our prayers are always with you, for the sake of the nation and homeland,” reads the Indonesian-language caption overlaid on a TikTok video shared on August 28.
It includes a photo of a crowd, predominantly dressed in green, in a street.
Screenshot of false post, taken on September 1, 2026, with a red X added by AFP
The post circulated a day after a large-scale demonstration took place in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, where protesters demanded parliament pass a bill that would allow for the seizure of the assets of corrupt officials ( archived link).
Some demonstrators hurled projectiles at police who fired tear gas and turned a water cannon on the group. An AFP reporter saw protesters set fire to a police booth and motorcycle, with several people carried away on stretchers.
State news agency Antara reported at least 323 people have been detained in relation to the protests ( archived link).
Authorities are also probing the death of a man who was found unconscious at one of the protest sites ( archived link).
An AFP photo of the rally shows some of the protesters wearing green clothes.
Ride-hailing motorcycle drivers take part in a demonstration urging lawmakers to immediately pass an asset forfeiture law for corruptors outside the Parliament building in Jakarta on August 27, 2026.
AZWAR IPANKAFP
The photo was also shared on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram alongside similar claims, but it does not actually show the recent protest in Indonesia.
World Cup event
A reverse image search using keyframes from the video led to a Facebook post published on June 25 by Televisa Tijuana, a television station based in Tijuana, Mexico ( archived link).
In its caption, the station says local residents had turned out in large numbers to watch a match featuring Mexico’s national football team, one of the host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Screenshot comparison of false post (L), with a red X mark added by AFP and Facebook post
“Tijuana is excited and passionately experiencing this match featuring the Mexican national team,” the Spanish-language caption says.
Mexico beat Czechia in a World Cup group stage game on the day ( archived link).
Google Maps Street View imagery of Tijuana also corresponds with buildings visible in the original video ( archived link).
Screenshot comparison of Facebook video (L) and Google Maps Street View imagery, with the same feature highlighted by AFP
AFP has also debunked other misinformation related to protests in Indonesia.
Crédito: Link de origem