Big problem with viral ‘Aussie’ lockdown beach picture

There is more than meets the eye to a photo of a heavily armed officer enforcing Covid-lockdowns on an ‘Aussie’ beach.

As the Victorian state election looms, a photo of an armed police officer allegedly confronting beachgoers during one of the state’s six lockdowns during the Covid-19 has been circulating online.

“NEVER FORGET … #sackdanandrews,” reads an overlaid caption on the image.

There’s just one problem - the picture wasn’t taken in Australia.

A photo circulating online is falsely implicating dan Andrews with heavily armed police confronting beach goers

RMIT ABC Fact Checkers have been unable to find any evidence the photo came from a Victorian beach, but instead, they believe it's a Brazilian one.

É bom deixar claro q, nos crimes contra a Humanidade, argumentar q cumpria ordens é alegação desconsiderada!

Nas Ações de competência do Tribunal Penal Internacional, os comandantes das PMs tb pagarão pelos desmandos! pic.twitter.com/yKObswsIgZ

— GVBA (@GVBA5) March 22, 2021

The earliest sharing of the image was actually from March 2021 from a Brazilian account protesting the country’s heavy-handedness in its handling of the pandemic.

Qual dessas imagens são da época do Regime Militar??#OPovoEstaComBolsonaro#Viva31DeMarco1964pic.twitter.com/EU7vy8FjQS

— Cleto_Clairton2 🇧🇷22🇧🇷🏍️🚁🏀⚽🏈🍺🍺 (@CClairton2) March 31, 2021

The photo was shared on Instagram days later by former Bolsonaro government Minister Mario Frias.

“Cowardice!” he captioned the image.

The original photo came from around when Brazil recorded over 1000 Covid-related deaths daily. President at the time Jair Bolsonaro, was an opponent of Covid lockdowns while some regions implemented their own lockdown measures.

Some Aussies were quick to correct the record.

A heavily armed police officer was pictured talking to a mother on a beach.

But was it really in Victoria?

No.

It was in Brazil.

Nothing to do with Dan Adrews.#sackdanandrews caught out lying, again.https://t.co/k0bnrR0eaQ

— NOT a Canberra Bubbler 🌲🌏🌲 (@MSMWatchdog2013) November 4, 2022

But others used the viral tweet as an opportunity to highlight other controversial moments during the height of the state’s Covid lockdown.

An actual photo of Victorian police on a Victorian beach arresting a Victorian for protesting against Dan Andrews.

Never Forget #sackdanandrewspic.twitter.com/cKIytTVebD

— blank (@MarconiBalls) November 4, 2022

IBAC biased arm of Labor party?#SackDanAndrewspic.twitter.com/YAt695qNcG

— AgoristAlchemy🏴 (@AgoristAlchemy) November 3, 2022

#Sackdanandrews has become a widely used online catchcry for Victorians who took umbrage with the Victorian premier’s handling of the pandemic.

Victoria Police were, however, accused of using “harsh” measures during the state’s Covid-19 lockdown.

Global research and advocacy group on human rights – Human Rights Watch – called on the state’s parliament to reject attempts to broaden police powers during the pandemic.

The Human Rights Watch said the State’s police action against lockdown violators were ‘excessive or disproportionate’. Photo: Darrian Traynor)

“Rights should be upheld and reinforced during a pandemic, not abandoned,” Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Australia director, said.

“Several recent incidents raise serious concerns that Victoria’s police are taking excessive or disproportionate action against suspected lockdown violators.”

“Giving ‘authorised officers’ in Victoria the power to pre-emptively detain people amid repeated complaints of heavy-handed policing could do more harm than good,” Pearson said. “With Covid-19 numbers in the state falling, now is not the time for new emergency powers.”

Originally published as Big problem with viral ‘Aussie’ lockdown beach picture