OPP warns video spreading online about police confrontation is fake

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Provincial police are warning the public about a misleading video making the rounds on social media that they say falsely claims a person was confronted by officers while doing lawn care.

In a release issued Friday evening, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said the clip had been manipulated to appear as though a confrontation took place when, in fact, it did not.

According to the authorities, the video was doctored to merge two unrelated recordings and adds misleading context to suggest an event that never occurred.

"The video has been fabricated," OPP stated. "The OPP officers pictured did not speak to an individual completing lawn care."

Police reminded the public to be cautious and think critically about information shared online, especially from unofficial or unverified sources.

“Disinformation such as this can fuel public hostility, heighten risks to officer safety and undermine community trust,” the release continued.

Officials did not identify the original source of the video or indicate whether an investigation was underway into who may have created or shared it. There was also no mention of whether charges could be considered.

“We thank the public for bringing this video to our attention to allow us the opportunity to confirm that the contents are inaccurate,” the OPP concluded.