Viral photo of “sheep-disguised migrants” debunked as miscaptioned 2024 dance footage
A photo claimed to show migrants arrested while trying to enter Spain in sheep costumes has been proven false. The image was traced to 2024 footage of performers dressed as Shaun the Sheep, with no evidence of any migration-related arrests.
- Viral posts falsely claimed three “sheep-disguised migrants” were arrested travelling from Algeria to Spain.
- Reverse-image searches showed the image came from 2024 dance footage featuring Shaun the Sheep costumes.
- Europol and news outlets reported no such arrest or incident.
SPAIN: A photograph widely circulated online in mid-November has been confirmed to be miscaptioned, despite claims that it showed migrants dressed as sheep attempting to enter Spain illegally from Algeria.
Social media posts falsely link photo to migrant smuggling
The viral image showed three individuals in wool-covered costumes, their faces painted black, seated in the back of a truck.
Social media posts on X and Instagram insisted they had been arrested in Algeria on 2 November for disguising themselves as livestock during a failed bid to reach Spain.
However, fact-checkers have confirmed that the claim is entirely false.
Reverse-image search reveals footage from 2024
Reverse-image search tools traced the picture to footage that first appeared online in 2024.
The videos showed a group of people dancing while dressed as Shaun the Sheep, the well-known British children’s character.
Some of the earliest clips — shared on TikTok in July 2024 — featured the same costumes and choreography, set to a Ukrainian version of the programme’s theme song.
The widely shared still image was taken directly from that footage and flipped horizontally before being reposted with a fabricated story.
No evidence of arrests — Europol reports nothing similar
Searches of media reports and official statements from Europol revealed no cases of migrants being arrested in such disguises.
While the agency has previously reported on genuine smuggling routes between Algeria and Spain — including efforts to dismantle boat networks in August 2025 — there has been no record of sheep costume disguises being involved.
Old videos often repurposed to create false migration narratives
Analysts say this case fits a growing trend in which old or unrelated footage is repurposed to create false narratives about migration.
Fact-checkers also noted that similar misinformation has circulated before, including fabricated videos that falsely depicted migrants attacking military personnel.
Authorities urge public to verify before sharing
Authorities continue to urge the public to verify content before sharing images that may be misleading or taken out of context.
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