Video shows country music benefit concert, not Kamala Harris rally
Social media users are suggesting a video shows a stadium packed with supporters of Kamala Harris in the final days of the Democratic nominee's 2024 presidential campaign. But the clip has been misrepresented; the footage, originally posted to TikTok, depicts a country music concert to raise money for Hurricane Helene victims in the state of North Carolina.
"Holy shit! Look at this fucking crowd in Charlotte for Country for Carolina. Kamala Harris is going to win North Carolina and become the first woman president in United States' history," says an October 28, 2024 post on X.
Similar posts raked in views on X and other platforms, such as Facebook.
Vice President Harris has turned out large rallies since entering the race in July, neutralizing one of Donald Trump's favorite talking points. The Democrat has also mocked her Republican opponent for his crowds, claiming during their September debate that attendees leave his events early due to "exhaustion and boredom."
Although a Harris campaign event headlined by former president Barack Obama brought supporters to the Charlotte Convention Center on October 25, the video circulating online is unrelated (archived here).
A TikTok user originally posted the footage October 27 with the caption: "Country for Carolina benefit concert in Charlotte tonight, great turnout for a great cause, love my hometown state NC" (archived here).
The user added a location tag indicating it was filmed at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium, where the October 26 concert took place (archived here).
The event, starring country music acts including Luke Combs and Eric Church, raised more than $24 million to boost relief efforts following Hurricane Helene, according to the Charlotte Observer. The deadly storm tore through North Carolina in September after making landfall in the state of Florida.
The TikTok user also posted numerous other clips of the concert's performers (archived here, here and here).
The poster told AFP in a TikTok direct message October 29: "This is a video of the Country for Carolina benefit concert in Charlotte, not a Kamala rally."
On October 26, the night of the concert in Charlotte, Harris was hosting a rally in Kalamazoo, Michigan alongside former first lady Michelle Obama. She last addressed a rally in Charlotte in September.
AFP has debunked other misinformation about the election here.
October 30, 2024 This article was updated to include comment from the TikTok user who posted the original footage.