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Viral Photo Doesn't Show 'Antifa' Beating Cop

(AP) - A widely spread photo purportedly showing an anti-fascist activist beating a police officer is a doctored image.

The image showing a man wielding a club and wearing an "antifa" jacket (see Tweet below) while standing over a downed officer was widely shared after the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The image has been circulating for several months among those opposed to the antifa movement, which is comprised of far-left-leaning militant groups.

But the image is actually a Getty Images photo taken during a 2009 protest of police in Athens, Greece. An antifa logo was apparently digitally added to the demonstrator's jacket.

Anti-fascists were among hundreds of demonstrators who descended on Charlottesville to oppose the rally. A demonstrator was killed when a driver intentionally drove into a crowd.

Snopes squashed the internet rumor in a tweet Monday.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

 

 

 

 

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