Claim:
A photograph shared online in mid-November 2025 authentically showed migrants in sheep costumes who were arrested for trying to illegally enter Spain from Algeria.
Rating:
In mid-November 2025, a photograph circulated online purportedly showing migrants dressed in sheep costumes who were arrested after trying to illegally enter Spain from Algeria. The picture showed three people wearing wool covered costumes with their faces covered in black paint, sitting in what appeared to be the back of a truck.
One X user said of the photo: “In Algeria, 3 individuals of unknown nationality were arrested as they attempted to cross into Spain…disguised as sheep.”
(X user @Jaiyejeje0m0)
Similarly, an Instagram user posted a graphic featuring the picture and text reading: “Three men in Algeria dressed as sheep end up getting arrested after trying to reach Spain illegally.” The caption claimed the photo was taken on Nov. 2, 2025.
In short, the picture did not show migrants attempting to enter Spain from Algeria. Footage from 2024 showed people in the same costumes dancing to the theme song of animated children’s television series “Shaun the Sheep.” As such, we concluded the photograph was miscaptioned.
Reverse-image search tools showed the image was a screenshot from footage that spread online as early as 2024, not November 2025, as claimed in the Instagram post.
For example, July 2024 TikTok videos showed the same group of people dancing while dressed in sheep costumes.
The people were dressed as Shaun the Sheep, a popular children’s character whose show premiered on U.K. television channel BBC One in 2007. In one of the videos, they danced to the cartoon’s theme song, albeit a version that was in Ukrainian, not English. The screenshot was clearly taken from the above footage and flipped horizontally, and showed all the people gathering in costume to do a choreographed dance.
Searches of news coverage and other official announcements from Europol, a law enforcement agency for the European Union, regarding any cases involving migrants being arrested in Algeria while in disguise uncovered no authentic reporting on such an incident.
In August 2025, Europol reported Spanish authorities’ efforts to dismantle a smuggling network bringing migrants from Algeria to Spain by boat.
Snopes has previously debunked fake video footage of migrants supposedly ambushing U.S. Marines.
Sources
Liles, Jordan. “Video Doesn’t Show Migrants Ambushing US Marines.” Snopes, 7 May 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/video-migrants-marines/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
“Newsroom.” Europol, https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
“Shaun the Sheep.” Aardman. https://www.aardman.com/film-tv-games/shaun-the-sheep/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
Shaun the Sheep. Animation, Short, Comedy. Aardman Animations, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), EU Media Plus Program, 2007. IMDb.
“Shaun The Sheep | OFFICIAL Theme Song | CBBC .” YouTube, CBBC, 29 Jan. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBfOJb8fdSI. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
“Spain Dismantles Criminal Network Smuggling Migrants from Algeria to the EU – Investigators Estimate the Suspects Spent over EUR 1 Million on Boats and Gear to Carry out Large-Scale Migrant Smuggling Operations.” Europol, https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/spain-dismantles-criminal-network-smuggling-migrants-algeria-to-eu. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VBgh-hWXzs. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZrq3fLQ9X0. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZkWoW5A05A. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
