WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A photo shows a police officer shoving a protester at a pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne.
OUR VERDICT
False. The image is AI-generated.
AAP FACTCHECK - A photo showing a police officer tussling with a pro-Palestine protester in Australia is actually a synthetic creation.
The image has been generated using artificial intelligence (AI) and does not match footage from any recent pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne.
The claim is in a Facebook post featuring an image of a man in riot police gear standing over a woman draped in a Palestinian flag and pulling her neck scarf.
"Ugly footage has captured the moment police officers shoved young protesters while trying to create a blockade during a pro-Palestine rally," the caption reads.
Overlay text on the image reads: "Viral video sparks outrage over police conduct at Melbourne student pro-Palestine rally".
In the background, another police officer stands beside a person holding a sign reading "FREE PALESTINE".
The "Life in Australia" account, which posted the supposed photo, frequently shares AI-generated images that misrepresent news events.
This protester image also shows signs that it is AI-generated.
The woman in the centre of the image has a disfigured right hand, with fingers unnaturally morphing into each other.
A zip also appears halfway up her jumper, even though it is zipped shut.
The police officer's uniform does not match those worn by Victoria Police either.
The crest on his shoulder is different from the state police force's official logo.
The text on his clothing, including on sewn-on badges, is muddled and illegible.
The protester holding a sign in the background also has six fingers on one hand, while a third arm appears to emerge from his waist.
The overlay text on the image matches a News.com.au headline published on March 13, the same day as the Facebook post.
The article details a video of police shoving protesters during a pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne, but that clip does not match the scene shown in the Facebook image.
AAP FactCheck has debunked numerous posts about pro-Palestine protests and court orders, in the Bondi Beach massacre aftermath and praying at a memorial.
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