FACT CHECK: Facebook Post Does Not Show Authentic Toronto Sun Headline

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on Facebook purports to show a Toronto Sun headline about human feces appearing near a statue of a Hindu god in Brampton.

Verdict: False

The purported headline is digitally fabricated. According to the actual headline published by the outlet, a 55-foot statue of the Hindu god Hanuman is being built in Brampton. A spokesperson denied the outlet had published the purported headline in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check:

A 55-foot statue of the Hindu god Hanuman being built in Brampton, Canada is the “tallest depiction of a Hindu god in the country,” according to Diya TV. The statue is set to officially be unveiled during a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for April, the outlet indicated.

“Numerous piles of human feces appear in the area around the Hindu god statue in Brampton,” the purported Toronto Sun headline shared via the Facebook post reads. “No wonder all these old fashioned diseases we hd [sic] eradicted [sic] in the West are coming back!” the post’s caption reads.

However, the Facebook post does not show an authentic Toronto Sun headline. Searches of the outlet’s website and verified social media accounts do not generate the purported headline. Likewise, Check Your Fact found no other credible news reports supporting the claim.

The headline is digitally fabricated from a genuine Toronto Sun article published on Dec. 15. “Massive statue of Hindu god being built in Brampton,” the headline reads. According to the article, a 55-foot statue of the Hindu god Hanuman is being built in Brampton by Indian sculptor Naresh Kumawat. The project is expected to be completed by this year, the outlet indicated.

A photo of the 55-foot statue was shared on Instagram back in November in honor of Diwali. (RELATED: Did A Fox News Journalist Report On 100 Earthquakes Hitting Yellowstone?)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hemannjay💖💐🌸 (@hemannjay)

Adrienne Batra, editor-in-chief of the Toronto Sun, denied the outlet had published the purported headline in an email to Check Your Fact.

“There is an appalling edited version of this article circulating online. It is a disturbing trend where online users edit content they disagree with making it appear as original work from trusted media outlets. It is disappointing these online trolls took a positive story and twisted it into their filth,” Batra said.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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