SJB Protest Drone Photos Are AI-Generated, Not Real Footage of the 22nd Amendment Rally

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Big opposition protests are often followed by a second fight over crowd size. After the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) protest against the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judicial Organisation Amendment Bill, held at Polduwa Junction in Battaramulla on September 24, 2026, several images appeared online as “drone shots” of the rally. One showed a vast crowd at the Parliament entrance, and another was used to suggest a tiny turnout. Both were AI-generated. Here are the posts.

Claim 1 – Social Media Posts:

A photo presented as a drone shot of a large crowd gathered near the Parliament entrance during the SJB protest in Battaramulla spread widely online.

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Fact-Check:

The SJB organized the protest to oppose the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judicial Organisation Amendment Bill that the Government presented to Parliament. It was held under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy.”

Mainstream media, other credible official sources, and the official social media pages of the SJB, including those of its politicians, published photos and videos of the protest. However, the photo in the above post did not appear in any mainstream media report, credible official source or official SJB social media account. None of these sources reported a similar scene either.

No Drone Footage Was Published

Neither the media nor official sources published any drone footage of the SJB protest held on September 24. Leading mainstream media outlets covered the event with ground-level photos and videos taken on the day. The protest was reported by mainstream media as follows:

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More photos and footage of the protest are available here, here and here.

The viral photo shows three roads converging in front of the Parliament entrance.

The Background Does Not Match the Real Parliament Entrance

The actual entrance to the Sri Lankan Parliament differs from the background in the photo, and there are no three roads converging near the Parliament entrance as depicted. For clarity, the Google Maps view of the Sri Lankan Parliament is provided below.

A comparison between the Google Maps view of the Parliament and the photo in the social media post is provided below.

The Image Contains Clear Anomalies

Photos and videos from mainstream media show that Battaramulla had rainy weather that day, with protesters holding umbrellas in the rain. No media outlet published clear, sunny aerial drone footage like the viral photo.

The crowd in the viral photo is waving national flags, but mainstream media photos and videos show that protesters were not carrying national flags. The photo is meant to show the Parliament complex, yet the Lotus Tower, which stands on D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha in Colombo 10 and is more than 9 kilometers away by land in the opposite direction, appears prominently and sharply in the upper left corner. 

An AI Detection Tool Confirmed the Image Was AI-Generated

We submitted the image to an AI content detection tool, which confirmed that it was created with artificial intelligence.

Claim 2 – Social Media Posts:

Another photo, presented as a drone shot, was posted to suggest that only a small crowd attended the protest. The post compared it with a real photo posted by the Opposition Leader.

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Fact-Check:

The official media reports and real photos presented above show the true turnout and conditions at the SJB protest on September 24. No credible source or media outlet ever reported the photo in the viral post.

A video posted on the official social media page of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa shows that many more people took part than the alleged drone photo depicts.

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Real Photos Show a Substantial Crowd

Photos taken at the event show that a substantial crowd attended the protest.

No Drone Footage Was Possible

The area around the Sri Lankan Parliament is a high-security zone, where flying drones and capturing aerial footage is not allowed. As noted above, neither the SJB’s official social media accounts nor mainstream media recorded or published drone footage of the protest.

A close look at the image also shows several anomalies confirming that it is not genuine drone photography. The crowd in the center looks unnatural. At a typical rally, people spread across the road, but this group appears confined within a shaped perimeter. The surrounding trees and the upper part of the road are relatively sharp, while only the central area with the crowd is heavily blurred.

The Second Image Was Also AI-Generated

Given these anomalies, our examination confirmed that this photo was also created with artificial intelligence.

The SJB Media Division Denied Using the Images

We also asked the SJB Media Division about circulating photos. It said the images were AI-generated and that the party had never used them. It also said that flying drones near Parliament was not possible because of its high-security status.

The official social media account of the Opposition Leader’s office also posted a statement saying that AI-generated images were circulating online as photos of the protest held on September 24. The SJB Media Division urged the public not to share such false material. The full statement is available here.

Journalists Who Covered the Protest Confirmed the Photos Were Not Genuine

We also consulted several journalists who covered the event. They confirmed that the photos circulating on social media were not genuine scenes from the protest.

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Conclusion:

Our fact-check found that the images circulated as drone shots of the SJB protest held at Polduwa Junction on September 24, against the Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judicial Organisation Amendment Bill, were created with artificial intelligence.

The area around the Sri Lankan Parliament is a high-security zone, where flying drones and capturing aerial footage is not allowed. Neither the SJB’s official social media accounts nor mainstream media recorded or published drone footage of the protest. The SJB Media Division, the Opposition Leader’s office and journalists who covered the event confirmed that the circulating images were not genuine.