By: Ishita Goel
May 8 2024
No, video doesn't show Harrison Ford speaking in support of pro-Palestine protestors
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A screenshot of a social media post claiming that Harrison Ford spoke in support of pro-Palestinian protestors. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The clip of Harrison Ford is from 2019 and shows him speaking about the importance of rainforests at the U.N. Climate Action Summit.
Claim ID 87359085
What is the claim?
A video featuring Hollywood actor Harrison Ford has gone viral on social media, with claims that it shows him voicing support for pro-Palestinian protestors. In the video, Ford is heard saying, “The people on the front lines, the people on the ground, people with their feet in the mud, our efforts will have an effect. We will make great progress and we are not alone. There is a new force of nature at hand stirring all over the world. They are the young people whom, frankly, we have failed. Who are angry, who are organized, who are capable of making a difference, they are a moral army, and the most important thing that we could do for them is to get the hell out of their way.”
This clip was shared with captions such as "Harrison Ford Called 'Free Palestine' Supporters 'Force of Nature' in Speech?" and "Harrison Ford on Pro-Palestine protesters: 'Get the hell out of their way....'" Archived versions of such posts can be found here, here, and here.
Screenshots of the viral posts on social media. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)
However, these posts have been misinterpreted. Ford's speech dates back to 2019, and the clip features him discussing the importance of rainforests at the United Nations (U.N.) Climate Action Summit 2019.
What are the facts?
A reverse image search revealed that the video is from 2019. On September 23, 2019, the United Nations’ official YouTube channel (archived here) posted an extended version of the clip titled "Harrison Ford on the importance of rainforests at the U.N. Climate Action Summit 2019." At the 5:07 mark of this video, we can hear the statement that is now being falsely shared in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The video captures Ford speaking at the Alliance on Rainforests meeting at the Climate Action Summit 2019, where he emphasized the importance of the Amazon rainforest and the urgent need for efforts to preserve it. Just before the viral segment, around the 4:40 mark, Ford stated, “On behalf of Conservation International, I am honored to announce that we are committing an additional 20 million dollars in funding. But we can’t do it alone, we need all the help that we can get. This money must go directly to indigenous people and civil society, the people on the front lines…”
Reuters (archived here) also shared a clip from the event on September 24, stating, "Actor Harrison Ford spoke at the United Nations to demand immediate action on climate change, warning that the future of the planet is at stake." At the 0:58 mark, Ford makes the same remarks as seen in the viral clip.
The video has been shared amid pro-Palestinian protests at several college campuses across the United States, which are demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment from companies linked to Israel. Recently, some pro-Palestine protestors were also seen attempting to disrupt the Met Gala event.
The verdict
An extended version of the viral clip reveals that Harrison Ford addressed the need for action on climate change in 2019. The speech does not mention pro-Palestine protestors and is unrelated to current events in Israel and Gaza. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.