No, Kristi Noem didn't ban the sale of watermelon slices in South Dakota | Fact check

Andre Byik, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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The claim: Gov. Kristi Noem banned sale of watermelon slices amid Israel-Hamas war

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

"South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem banned the sale of red watermelon slices, claiming it to be anti-Semitic, as it symbolizes the Palestinian flag," reads text in the image, which is a screenshot of a post on X, formerly Twitter. "In defiance, people took to the streets, distributing watermelon slices to support Palestine."

The Instagram post was liked more than 200 times in two days. The X post was reposted more than 300 times in two days.

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Our rating: False

This didn't happen. Noem hasn't banned the sale of watermelon slices, a spokesperson for the governor said. The image shows a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sweden, not South Dakota.

Post shows pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sweden

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

The X post featured in the Instagram post includes a video that shows a woman handing out watermelon slices at a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Stortorget square in Malmo, Sweden, not in South Dakota. Google Street View shows the same public square from the clip, and the people in the video are not speaking English.

The origin of the video isn't clear, but Swedish demonstrators have used the historic square to protest the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The Associated Press reported more than 10,000 people participated in a pro-Palestinian rally and march there on May 9.

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

Watermelon imagery has been used as a symbol of Palestinian support at protests against the war, according to PBS.

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

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kristi Noem didn't ban watermelon over Israel-Hamas war | Fact check