Did Ford government edit Ford Fest photo to hide protesters?
CBC analysis finds PC MPPs' photo was edited to make OPSEU members in purple shirts appear blue, obscuring the protests.
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A photograph shared by two PC MPPs from Ford Fest last Friday appears to have been edited to make protesters look like supporters, according to analysis by a reporter team.
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey and MPP David Smith posted the aerial photo on social media showing a crowd in what appeared to be overwhelmingly blue PC party shirts gathered near the festival stage at Thomson Memorial Park in Scarborough.
But CBC reporters on scene saw dozens of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) members in the same area wearing purple T-shirts that said "Worth Fighting For" moments before Ford spoke. When Ford took the stage, OPSEU members turned their backs, booing and chanting over his roughly 10-minute speech.
a reporter team compared the aerial photo to footage shot by reporters and an Instagram account documenting the OPSEU protest. Their analysis identified what appeared to be OPSEU purple shirts that looked blue in the posted photo, and individuals wearing purple in CBC footage appeared blue in the aerial shot.
Downey said at a news conference Monday he didn't examine the image closely before posting. "I just don't think it's of any consequence," he said, and did not confirm who took the photo.
A spokesperson for the premier's office said the photo had only a default colour corrector applied to fix an orange hue. "This type of colour correction is standard and routine practice," the statement said.
NDP Opposition Leader Marit Stiles called out the discrepancy. "Imagine getting booed at your own party, then editing the photos so the protesters look like fans," she posted Monday.