A video clip showing a young boy in handcuffs standing next to a police officer has been shared widely online alongside false claims it shows the child being arrested for fishing.
Cumbria Police told Full Fact that the footage actually shows officers responding to a report that a child was in possession of a knife in public on 22 May 2025. The force said that the officers’ encounter with the boy “had no connection to fishing”, and that no knife was found and no arrest was made.
The viral video has been shared thousands of times on social media. A fishing rod can be seen nearby on the ground and a distressed woman can be heard saying “he’s a little ten-year-old boy” and “it’s his fishing stuff, leave him alone” in the clip.
In other footage shared of the incident, police can be seen searching the boy and another child.
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South Lakes Police, which covers the heart of Cumbria’s Lake District, said in a statement at the time that “due to the report of a knife, the boys were handcuffed for their and officers’ safety while the searches were completed.
“A search was carried out and no knife located, and the handcuffs removed.”
The incident was also reported on by the media at the time.
Misinformation often spreads quickly on social media, so it’s important to consider whether what you are seeing is genuine before sharing. Our toolkit provides guides on how to verify pictures and videos.
