When the COVID-19 pandemic struck Italy and lockdown laws forced people to stay inside, some people went out on their balconies to socialize with their street and sing uplifting songs. In mid-March, Chinese state media and official Twitter accounts claimed that Italians were cheering for China and singing the Chinese national anthem in gratitude for Chinese aid. The claim was accompanied by a video, which showed Italians cheering with the Chinese national anthem in the background. However, Italian fact-checking and manipulation experts examined the video and determined that while the first fifteen seconds may be unaltered, it is likely that the majority of the video was doctored by taking footage of Italians cheering for medical staff and playing the Chinese national anthem under it.