Social Media Rumors About The Nice Attack That You Shouldn't Believe

A BuzzFeed News roundup of hoaxes and false rumors currently circulating on social media after at least 84 people were killed in a Bastille Day truck attack on Thursday.

Eric Gaillard / Reuters

1. There was no hostage situation in Nice.

Via twitter.com

Several tweets from Thursday night mentioned a hostage situation in a Buffalo Grill restaurant, and in the Negresco and Le Méridien hotels.

The French Interior Ministry responded in a tweet that there was no hostage situation.

2. These people are not among the victims — their pictures are being distributed by trolls.

Via twitter.com

3. Especially this man, whose picture now frequently circulates after major terrorist attacks.

Twitter / Via twitter.com

This man's face keeps appearing on social media in the aftermath of major tragedies, including, for example, the EgyptAir crash and the Istanbul airport attack last June.

According to France 24, "several online articles, including on the BBC website, reported at the time that 'trolls' enjoyed circulating pictures of fake victims of the accident, 'in order to trick the media'."

4. There was no link between a fire at the Eiffel Tower and the Nice attack.

On Thursday night, in the immediate aftermath of the attack in Nice, pictures and video of a fire near the base of the Eiffel Tower began circulating on social media. Some people suggested this could be another attack linked to the one in Nice. But the Paris police department tweeted to say it was an accidental fire related to the Bastille Day fireworks display in the city: "Do not circulate false rumors. No fire in the #TourEiffel. An accidental fire took place on the Iéna bridge. It has been extinguished."

5. ISIS hasn't claimed responsibility for the attack.

At the time of publication, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. On Thursday night and Friday morning, however, several people online, including the deputy director of Paris Match, claimed that ISIS was behind the events.

6. Some reports are claiming that the truck driver shouted "Allah Akbar", but no official source has mentioned it.

Via twitter.com

7. This man was not involved in the attack.

Via twitter.com

Less than a year after he was wrongly being accused of being responsible for the attacks in Paris, an image circulating online claims Veerender Jubbal was involved in the Nice attack.