Misinformation regarding migrants in Ceuta involves AI-generated and repurposed images

False images and misinformation regarding migrants in Ceuta have been circulating on social media platforms including X and YouTube.

One viral image depicts a dead white cat near a trash bin, accompanied by claims that migrants arriving in Ceuta from Morocco killed local animals. Fact-checkers have determined this photo was actually taken in Valsequillo, Gran Canaria, in August 2025, following a suspected poisoning incident. The image was repurposed by political figures and media outlets to link the animal deaths to the migration crisis.

A second viral image, which purports to show a migrant holding a dead cat to eat it, has been identified as AI-generated. Analysis shows the image was manipulated from an EFE agency video showing migrants in improvised camps. The synthetic image contains anatomical errors, such as a disproportionate body, and carries the SynthID invisible watermark developed by Google DeepMind, confirming its origin as AI-generated content.