HOAX: Video from Prague spreads through Facebook alleging "Islamic refugees" were caught trying to rape a girl

On 14 December the administrators of a Canadian website called “Never Again Canada” posted video footage to their Facebook profile that originally came from the Czech Republic and has been viewed 900 000 times, shared 14 000 times, and received 5 000 reactions as of 20 December. The footage shows an argument about methamphetamine followed by an assault on a young woman in Prague.

Never Again Canada is using the footage as propaganda against Muslims and refugees. “Islamic migrants try and grab a girl and attempt to rape her somewhere in Europe,” their description accompanying the video reads.

“One of the Islamists stomps on her head as she struggles to get free, while another tries to rip off her pants,” the hoax alleges. Never Again Canada has 130 000 fans and purports to reveal “the real intentions of those who hate Israel” and to combat antisemitism, propaganda and terror.

The video footage they have used, however, actually has nothing to do with either Islamists or refugees. The footage is of an incident in Prague where, directly in front of the Police Presidium building, an argument over meth broke out on 22 May between three young men – none of whom are Muslim, and none of whom are refugees – and the young woman.

The youths did brutally attack the young woman. Two police officers then appeared and the youths fled.

Today the case went to trial, and the youth who stomped on the young woman’s head was convicted and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for robbery. The other two youths who assisted the main perpetrator got suspended sentences.