Video Of Injured Animal Rights Activist Peddled As Attack On Muslim Doctor

A disturbing video showing an injured woman speaking about an attack on a group of animal rights activists, is being peddled on social media with a false claim that the clip shows an attack on a Muslim doctor by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) members.

BOOM contacted animal rights activist Ayesha Christina, the woman in the video, and confirmed that the attack did not involve any religious angle.

The distressing clip shows an injured woman recording a video at a police station. 

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BOOM has decided not to share the viral video on its home page due to its graphic nature. The video can be viewed here and here, and its archived version can be checked here.

The video has also been shared on Twitter (archive) with similar caption.

The video has also been shared from some Pakistani Twitter handles (archive) with a caption 'Name Ayesha, being a Muslim, violence against women in India is the essence of the MAHAAN India that this woman is telling the world. Share the video so that the world knows the face of these dogs. Real Face Of India'.

Fact Check

BOOM listened to the video carefully and found that at no point does the woman mentions that she is a doctor or the attack on her group was carried out by RSS members.

The woman can be heard saying, 'Hi, this is Ayesha again. We keep talking to you about the kind of stuff that keeps happening to me. I am standing outside the duty officer at Azadpur Station. We've just been beaten up while we were catching dogs. Somebody came to us and spoke to our staff badly as usual. We are supposed to shut up and take this nonsense all the time so when we decide to stand up for our voice to be heard, this is what is done to us.'

She then goes ahead and introduces her other team members who have also been injured in the attack. At one point, she flips her camera and policemen can be seen sitting around in the police station.

We then did a keyword search with the words 'Ayesha', 'Aisha' and 'attack' and found several news reports about the incident.

A report published in Hindustan Times on July 5, 2020 identifies the woman in the video as Ayesha Christina Benn, an animal rights activist and founder of animal welfare organisation Neighborhood Woof.

According to the report, Ayesha and her three team members were allegedly assaulted by a group of around 20 people in outer Delhi's Rani Bagh area on July 3, 2020. The team members were visiting the area for corralling street dogs for sterilisation.

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When BOOM contacted Ayesha Christina about the incident, she categorically denied that there was a religious angle involved here. 

"We face this (such attacks) all the time but no, this has absolutely nothing to do with religion. Frankly, I am less concerned about this politicisation. I don't give a damn about that. As far as I am concerned, even the fact that I am a woman does not seem to matter. There is aggression on the street and people don't know how to interact with each other," Ayesha said.

BOOM also came across a lengthy video shared on the Facebook page of Neighbourhood Woof  detailing the entire incident that took place on the night of July 3, 2020.

According to the Facebook video, 'Neighbourhood Woof is a registered NGO empanelled with the MCD for stray canine birth control and vaccination'.

Watch the video below.

The video has been shared with a caption 'Calling out the horrifying attitude of the Delhi Police as well as the rumour-mongers with their ludicrous statements spreading incorrect information. The NW team , along with the local caregiver present that night speak out about what happened. Please listen to us, share our voice. Stand with us as we fight this corruption and apathy. Together, we make a difference'.

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