Thousands of people were misled by fake social media posts advertising a fireworks display in Birmingham, only to be disappointed when the event didn't take place.
Thousands of people were left disappointed after heading to Birmingham 's Centenary Square for a fireworks display only to find they had been lured by a social media scam . Revellers had gathered expecting an official fireworks show based on rumours circulating on social media. However, West Midlands Police officers had to inform the large crowd that the event was not happening.
Social media and AI posts had given the impression of a spectacular fireworks display, but this was false information and fake news. Police and security officers were outnumbered by the crowds, but fortunately, there was only a small amount of disruption. This incident is similar to one in Dublin last year when hundreds of people gathered in the city centre for a Halloween parade that turned out to be a hoax. A website set up to generate ad revenue had circulated false information about a parade. Pictures on social media showed crowds lining O'Connell Street waiting for the parade, but there were no police or stewards present. Gardaí (Irish police) released a statement saying that no Halloween parade was scheduled and asked those who turned out to 'disperse safely'. The crowds caused a brief disruption to the Luas tram network, with parts of the Red and Green line services out of operation for about half an hour. In Birmingham last night, when the clock struck midnight, scores of people cheered and one person let a firework off in the crowd while another had a small box, but no organised display happened. Birmingham has not held an official fireworks display for a decade
Social Media Scam Fireworks Display Birmingham Disappointment Fake News
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