The claim: Governor Kristi Noem banned the sale of watermelon slices during the war between Israel and Hamas

An Instagram post from May 15 (direct link, archive link) shows a woman wearing a keffiyeh around her shoulders and holding a tray of watermelon slices, standing in front of a group of people and a Palestinian flag.

“South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has banned the sale of red watermelon slices because they symbolize the Palestinian flag and are considered anti-Semitic,” reads the text of the image, which is a screenshot of a post on X (formerly Twitter). “In defiance, people took to the streets and handed out watermelon slices in support of Palestine.”

The Instagram post was liked over 200 times within two days. The X post was reposted over 300 times within two days.

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Our rating: False

This did not happen. Noem did not ban the sale of watermelon slices, a spokesman for the governor said. The picture shows a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sweden, not in South Dakota.

Article shows pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sweden

Noem’s press secretary, Amelia Joy, told USA TODAY that the claim that the governor has banned the sale of watermelon slices in the state is untrue. There are no executive actions or state bills banning the sale of the fruit in South Dakota, nor are there any credible news reports of such a ban.

The X-post shown in the Instagram post includes a video showing a woman handing out watermelon slices at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Stortorget Square in Malmö, Sweden (not South Dakota). Google Street View shows the same public square as in the clip, and the people in the video do not speak English.

The origin of the video is unclear, but Swedish demonstrators have used the historic square to protest the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The Associated Press reported that more than 10,000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian rally and march there on May 9.

Fact check: Video shows unknown man waving Palestinian flag, not Danish king

According to PBS, watermelon imagery has been used in anti-war protests as a symbol of Palestinian support.

The Instagram user who shared the post did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Our fact-checking sources:

• Amelia Joy, May 16, email exchange with USA TODAY

• Google Maps, June 2009, Malmö, Skåne County

• South Dakota Legislature, accessed May 17, 2024 Bills

• Secretary of State of South Dakota, accessed May 17, Executive Orders

• PBS, January 17: How watermelon images, a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians, spread around the world

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kristi Noem didn’t ban watermelons despite Israel-Hamas war | Fact check