A photograph circulated online in October claimed to capture protesters in Portland, Oregon, who were 'baiting' U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents with doughnuts attached to fishing poles. However, this image is not from Portland but instead originates from a protest at Toronto police headquarters, and it dates back at least a decade.
The photo, which garnered significant attention across various Meta platforms, was shared widely with captions such as “Portland protesters baiting ICE agents with doughnuts on fishing poles.” It depicts a group of masked individuals dangling what appear to be doughnuts from makeshift fishing rods while uniformed police officers observe. Some posts playfully referred to this act as “ICE fishing,” reflecting a common protest tactic of mocking law enforcement using food items like doughnuts.
In a period marked by nightly demonstrations outside an ICE facility in Portland during President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement increase, the mischaracterized image gained over 141,000 reactions and approximately 31,000 shares on Facebook, alongside similar interactions on platforms like Instagram and Threads.
A reverse image search indicates that the photo is at least ten years old, pinpointing its context to be within a protest setting in Toronto. Although the Canadian Press could not find the original placement of the image online, they were able to confirm the location as the Toronto police headquarters situated at 40 College Street. The details such as a distinctive stacked brick sculpture and signage for Native Child and Family Services of Toronto helped corroborate this identification through Google Maps.
Furthermore, searches on reverse image engines like TinEye revealed the photograph appeared on Tumblr as early as 2013. While the photo misrepresented as contemporary Portland protests, it is indeed not uncommon to see protesters employing similar tactics to evoke humor or derision towards police or federal officials, particularly at the ICE facility in Portland. Instances of innovative protests, including individuals donning unique costumes, have also been a part of these demonstrations, such as a viral video showcasing a protester in a frog costume reacting to the use of pepper spray by an ICE agent.
The Canadian Press has been active in fact-checking other misleading images related to protests in recent years. Examples include verifying protests in different locations and addressing images that had been distorted or misrepresented over time. This fact-checking process aims to clarify misinformation prevalent in public discourse, especially surrounding contentious issues like immigration and law enforcement.
This report emphasizes the importance of accuracy in the dissemination of protest imagery and highlights how easily photos can be taken out of context, not just in Portland but globally.
