Photo shows 2019 music festival in Switzerland, not COVID-19 health pass protests in Italy

Last updated on: 17 October,2021 03:32 pm

The photograph shows a 2019 music festival in Zurich, Switzerland.

(Reuters) - Social media users have been sharing a photograph of a large crowd and falsely claiming that it shows protests in Italy over recently approved COVID-19 health passes.

Italy made COVID-19 health passes mandatory for all workers from Oct. 15, 2021 in a test case for Europe, with the measure being applied mostly peacefully across the country despite scattered protests.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi s cabinet approved the rule - one of the world s strictest anti-COVID measures - in September, making it obligatory from Oct. 15 for all workers either to show proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery from infection.

The photo in the posts actually shows an electronic music festival called Street Parade, which took place in Zurich in August 2019. A high-resolution version of the same image can be seen on the event website, and a Swiss flag can be seen flying from the most prominent building.

VERDICT

False. The photograph shows a 2019 music festival in Zurich, Switzerland, not COVID-19 health pass protests in Italy.