Says George Floyd has “hair in one shot but is bald in the shots of him laying on the ground.”
Get PolitiFact in your inbox.
George Floyd’s hair does not differ in various images
If Your Time is short
- George Floyd’s death was not a false flag.
- Video footage shows his hairline from the angle where the blog post claims he has none.
George Floyd was killed after a police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, and a blog post claiming his death was a false flag is not going to change that.
"Why does George Floyd have hair in one shot but is bald in the shots of him laying on the ground?" reads the headline of a June 15 blog post.
It compares two still video images: one showing Floyd standing in handcuffs with a visible hairline and another showing him being held on the ground by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. In the second image, which is quite blurry, Floyd appears bald.
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
Featured Fact-check
Reuters reported that the second image was altered to blur Floyd’s hair. It was taken from graphic video footage showing Floyd’s death, starting around the 5:10-minute mark. His hairline is visible in the original footage.
Floyd’s hair is also visible in security footage the Washington Post used to create a timeline of the moments leading up to Floyd’s death. Around the 2:20-minute mark, Floyd can be seen from above as he sits handcuffed against a wall. As he moves, his head looks different at different angles.
This blog post misleads readers to think Floyd’s death was staged. Video footage, witnesses, and autopsy reports prove otherwise.
We rate this post Pants on Fire.
Our Sources
Blog post, June 15, 2020
The Associated Press, Police, experts condemn knee restraint used on George Floyd, May 28, 2020
Reuters, Fact check: Photograph of George Floyd has been altered to blur his hair, June 18, 2020
Facebook post of video footage of George Floyd’s death, May 26, 2020
The Washington Post, The death of George Floyd: What video and other record show about his final minutes, May 30, 2020
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
George Floyd’s hair does not differ in various images
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.