Footage of police taking wheelie bin is from 2022

15 June 2026

What was claimed

A video shows police in Southampton putting a wheelie bin in a van after the recent protests relating to the Henry Nowak case.

Our verdict

False. This video shows an unrelated incident in Belfast in 2022.

A video showing police officers putting a wheelie bin into the back of a police van has been shared with false claims it was filmed after the recent protests in Southampton relating to the Henry Nowak case.

The video actually dates back to 2022 and was filmed in Belfast after an entirely unrelated incident.

Debunk image wheelie bin being arrested

Posts liked thousands of times on X, Facebook and Instagram have shared the clip in recent days with claims that it shows police in Southampton, with some jokingly suggesting it depicts officers “arresting a wheelie bin” or that the bin was taken “in connection to assaulting a police officer”.

One page sharing the video also claimed in the comments: “I believe they are collecting some wheelie bins to try and get people’s fingerprints”.

Although there were some reports of bins being used in the recent disorder in Southampton following the Henry Nowak case, this footage has nothing to do with those protests.

According to a 2022 ITV News report, the clip shows police seizing a bin after an incident at a parade in Belfast.

Videos that are miscaptioned to suggest they refer to a different event than the one they portray can persuade people to believe things are true when they are not.

Before sharing content like this that you see on social media, it’s important to consider whether it comes from a reliable source. Our Full Fact toolkit has guides to help you do this.

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