Las Vegas Sphere debunks claim that it projected image of Israeli flag | Fact check

Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY
·2 min read

The claim: Image shows the Las Vegas Sphere lit up with an image of the Israeli flag

An Oct. 10 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows the Israeli flag projected on the Las Vegas Sphere, a music and entertainment arena.

"The Sphere in Las Vegas, NV was lit up with an Israeli flag, as hundreds rallied in the city in solidarity with the country of Israel and its people who are under attack," reads the post's caption.

The post garnered more than 3,000 likes in one day. Similar versions of the claim have been shared on Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.

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Our rating: Altered

The image is altered. The venue debunked the claim in a post on X, saying the viral image is altered.

Sphere didn't project image of Israeli flag

Numerous world landmarks lit up in support of Israel following the deadly Oct. 7 surprise attack on the country by the militant group Hamas. Some monuments were illuminated with the colors of the Israeli flag while others sported the flag itself.

But the Las Vegas Sphere did not participate in the trend.

The entertainment venue debunked the claim on X, replying to several videos of the supposed projection by saying, "This image was photoshopped."

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No evidence of the Israeli flag projection could be found on the Sphere's social media accounts. Instead, the venue shared footage of an animated jack-o'-lantern on Oct. 10 and an advertisement for the band U2 on Oct. 11.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The claim was also debunked by Reuters.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: False claim of Israeli flag on the Las Vegas Sphere | Fact check