'Hamas' Halloween costume sparks controversy in Northern Ireland

Northern Irish police said Thursday that an image circulating on social media, seemingly depicting a person dressed as a Hamas militant at a Halloween festival in Londonderry, may have been generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

The Gaza conflict has been raging for the last 27 days. It started after the October 7 attacks when Hamas fighters stormed the bordering Israeli towns, killing 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 240 others, according to Israeli officials.

Since then, Israel has relentlessly bombarded the Palestinian territory and sent in ground troops, with the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza saying 9,061 people have been martyred, including 3,760 children.

The image in question showed an individual in Londonderry's Guildhall Square, wearing combat gear with a Palestinian flag badge, a balaclava, and a headband featuring the word "Hamas" in Arabic, all while holding a toy weapon. 

However, despite a public appeal for witnesses and a review of security camera footage, the person could not be identified.

Jon Boutcher, the acting chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, mentioned during a policing board meeting that there is a "suggestion... that it might even have been some sort of artificial intelligence image that was presented and has been circulated." 

He expressed doubt about the image's authenticity.

Nigel Goddard, a local police chief, stated, "We have not had any reports of anyone seeing this person in Guildhall Square dressed in this way, or found any other images online." 

He emphasised that while the image's intention remains unclear, it serves as a reminder that not everything found online can be taken at face value.

The event in Londonderry, spanning four days, is referred to as Europe's largest Halloween festival and drew more than 100,000 attendees, according to organizers.

The image in question featured someone dressed as a Hamas militant, and the uncertainty surrounding its authenticity led to inquiries by local police, with suggestions that it may have been generated using artificial intelligence technology.