(FreedomBeacon.com)- Online rumors have been spreading since Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and 16 other members of Congress were detained on July 19 during an abortion rights protest before the Supreme Court.
After protesters blocked a thoroughfare, 35 people were detained for “crowding, obstructing or incommoding,” according to a news statement from the U.S. Capitol Police.
A viral photo making the rounds on social media claims to be AOC’s mugshot.
A tweet on July 19 with the subject line “AOC mugshot published” received over 1,000 likes and 9,000 retweets.
Within two days, a Facebook post from July 20 that included the photograph received more than 500 reactions and over 200 shares.
“Although many have claimed AOC wasn’t detained yesterday, she was! Look, I have proof of it. This is the mugshot, “reads the message.
But the image has been manipulated.
Ocasio-Cortez’s mugshots don’t exist since she was never arrested. According to a spokeswoman for the Capitol Police, protesters were fined but not jailed.
Ocasio- Cortez’s photograph appears from a 2018 interview with Glenn Greenwald for the Intercept.
According to Siwei Lyu, a digital forensics specialist at the University of Buffalo, “the evidence is extremely high” that the mugshot was produced from the photograph via splicing.
Two computer vision algorithms, according to Lyu, clearly showed that Ocasio-Cortez’s face and the backdrop of the bogus photo had been altered.
Digital forensics specialist at Purdue University Umit Karabiyik stated that the picture is altered. You can clearly notice the blurring neck and the different skin tones on the face and neck below.
Tim Barber, a spokesman for the Capitol Police, said that Ocasio- Cortez’s mugshot had not been officially released since no one had been jailed.
Barber said to USA TODAY in an email discussion that those detained were fined and released on-site, typical for nonviolent, scheduled protests. As is customary for a noncustodial arrest, no one was shackled. The $50 fine is due within 15 days, after which they can request a hearing.
We assess a picture that purports to be Ocasio-mugshot Cortez’s as ALTERED based on our study. A fake mugshot has been used. Ocasio- Cortez’s photo was not taken in this instance since she wasn’t detained, according to the police.
