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Inauguration day: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton arrive at the US capital
Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton arrived at the US Capitol for the inauguration day.
Associated Press, USA TODAY
The claim: Former President Barack Obama arrested
In the turbulent time following the US presidential election, misinformation and conspiracy theories flourished on social media, entangling prominent politicians in foreign claims.
In a January 17 video posted on Facebook, the host of the conservative “America Divided Podcast” posted a video of former president. Barack Obama shared in a jail cell and said he got to know the place.
Gage Nelson, noting that thousands of troops had been deployed from the National Guard to DC following the January 6 riot on the Capitol, said: ‘The rumor is that many people will go to jail on January 20 … well , now there’s a video of Barack Obama in a jail cell, blowing my kind of mind. ‘
While Nelson admits in the video that Obama has not yet been arrested, the title and caption of the post cannot make it clear.
‘BARACK OBAMA INSTITUTED … 75 days after Election Day in America, and a NEW video has surfaced of former president. Barack Obama in a JAIL CELL that makes many doubt … Was OBAMA arrested? … ‘, reads the caption.
The ‘America Divided Podcast’ page responds to a request for comment with a statement from Nelson, mentioning that the page has suffered setbacks for viewers watching a click bait.
“The point of the video was to dispute the allegations that Obama was detained,” the statement said. “Our goal was only to reach as many people as possible so that they do not fall for the FAKE rumors. America Divided does not earn money in any way, which means we did not earn a penny from the video.”
Fact check: Photo captures House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanking national guard
Obama visits Robben Island prison
The video of Obama in the prison cell is from 2013, when the Obamas undertook a trip to Robben Island, in South Africa, known for holding 18 years in prison for future South African President Nelson Mandela.
The Guardian posted the clip of Obama in Mandela’s cell in 2013 on his YouTube channel.
Nelson acknowledges this in the “America Divided” video and says: “Unfortunately, I want as much as I want to say that this video is 100% … Barack Obama has not been arrested yet, but he could be very good . “
Fact check: False story claims that former President Barack Obama was arrested for espionage
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Our rating: false
The claim in the mail is FALSE. While Nelson acknowledges that his primary claim that Obama was arrested is not true a few minutes after the video, the caption and title of the report remain inaccurate and misleading. The clip of Obama in a jail cell is from a trip to Robben Island in 2013, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years.
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