Fact-check: Pakistani flags at Dhruv Rathee's anti-Modi protest in London?
The video does not show Dhruv Rathee’s protest in London
Updated Thursday Oct 22 2026
Social media posts claim that a video showing Pakistani and Bangladeshi flags was filmed at a London protest organised by Indian influencer and activist Dhruv Rathee against the Indian government and in support of the youth protests in India.
The claim is false. The footage is actually from an August gathering in London celebrating Indian and Pakistani Independence Day.
Claim
On October 18, users on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared a 46-second video clip claiming to show Pakistani and Bangladeshi flags at a protest organised by Indian social media influencer and activist Dhruv Rathee in London.
“This raises serious questions about the forces rallying behind this campaign and the narrative being pushed,” one post read. “This is no longer about the BJP or PM Modi. This is about India.”
The post implied that Pakistan and Bangladesh were supporting, and possibly organising, protests against the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the time of writing, the video had garnered 51,900 views, 1,000 likes and 595 reposts.
Similar claims have also been shared on Instagram and elsewhere on X.
Fact
The video does not show Dhruv Rathee’s protest in London, held on October 17. Instead, the footage is from an open-air gathering in London on August 15, 2026, where British Pakistani singer Amir Hashmi performed at an event celebrating the independence of Pakistan and India.
Hashmi shared additional videos from the gathering on his Instagram account, explaining that he organises the event annually to bring Indians and Pakistanis together.
“Every year on August 15, I bring Pakistanis and Indians together in London to celebrate peace, unity and humanity,” he wrote, “Pakistanis singing the Indian national anthem, and Indians singing the Pakistani national anthem, standing together with love and respect.”
His post can be viewed here.
Hashmi also confirmed to Geo Fact Check in messages that the video was recorded on August 15, 2026.
“This video was recorded on August 15, when I brought Indians and Pakistanis together to promote unity, mutual respect, and peace,” Hashmi said. “I do this every year, encouraging both communities to respect each other’s national flags and anthems.”
Murtaza Ali Shah, Geo News correspondent in the United Kingdom, also told Geo Fact Check over the phone that the footage was unrelated to Rathee’s protest.
“This is an old video. This video has absolutely nothing to do with Dhruv Rathee’s protest in London. The claim in it is fake,” Shah said.
He added that no Pakistani flags were visible at Rathee’s protest and that Rathee held one event in London, outside Parliament Square.
Videos of the protest can be viewed here.
Verdict: The video does not show Dhruv Rathee’s protest in London. It was recorded on August 15, 2026, at a public gathering where British Pakistani singer Amir Hashmi brought Indians and Pakistanis together to promote peace and unity.
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