Belgian VRT crew’s Ceuta video of Moroccan minor shown unmanipulated

A video of a 15‑year‑old Moroccan unaccompanied minor, identified as “Chems”, recorded on a rock by the sea in Ceuta, Spain, was circulated on social media in early August 2026 with claims that a Belgian television crew had manipulated the boy to create a narrative of victimhood.

The footage was actually produced by VRT NWS, a Belgian public broadcaster that had been in Ceuta since 31 July 2026 to document the situation of unaccompanied minors after the late‑July migration surge. Journalist Roel Nollet explained that the crew asked the boy to drink water and walk to obtain clearer shots; the boy later sat on the rock of his own accord. The video was posted on 3 August 2026 by Revuelta, a Spanish far‑right youth organization, and was subsequently shared by extremist and pro‑Russian channels, but no evidence of coercion or staged posing was found.