Dar es Salaam Oct 30 — Amid post-election protests in Tanzania, a video circulating widely on social media claims to show demonstrators storming the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to prevent members of political elite from fleeing the country. The footage, shared by several accounts and even posted by Al Arabiya English, appears to depict large crowds breaching security and storming the airport.
Multiple users have reshared the clip on X (formerly Twitter) with captions suggesting it captures fresh unrest linked to the country’s disputed election results. Several aviation handles have also shared the video as that of a recent security breach at Julius Nyerere International Airport.
❌ Fact-Check: The Video Is Not Recent
A verification trace shows the footage is not from 2025. An old airport security breach video has resurfaced amidst recent protests.
According to a BBC report from 2021, the scene took place at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam when crowds gathered to view the body of the late President John Magufuli as it was being transported for state funerals. The chaotic scenes were of a mourning crowd breaching airport security to catch a glimpse of the casket of the deceased leader.
The video was also shared on X in March 2021 — four years before the current protests.
No credible 2025 reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, or Tanzanian authorities mention any current airport occupation matching the viral footage.
Bottom Line
While demonstrations are indeed taking place across Tanzania after the elections, the viral airport video is old and unrelated. It shows mourners during Magufuli’s 2021 funeral, not protesters taking over an airport in 2025.
Social media users and even media outlets are urged to verify video origins before amplifying them in the context of current events.
Read: JKIA Security Breach as Thousands Swarm Kenya Airport During Raila Odinga’s Return Flight
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