Overview
- Nigel Farage told LBC that swans in Royal Parks and carp from ponds are being taken and eaten by people from eastern Europe, naming Romanians.
- The Royal Parks charity said it has received no reports of people killing or eating swans across London’s eight Royal Parks.
- The RSPCA said a widely shared clip presented as proof came from a 2010 TV programme, not a recent incident.
- Independent experts and fact-checkers reported no evidence supporting the allegation, and a 2003 Metropolitan Police inquiry found none.
- Critics denounced the claims as xenophobic disinformation, and reporters noted that swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.