US-based Irish journalist and filmmaker Phelim McAleer has filed a High Court defamation lawsuit against the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) after the airport’s official social media account publicly labeled one of his video posts as “fake news”.
Phelim McAleer posted video footage on X (formerly Twitter) showing
crowds of passengers moving down an escalator and through a terminal building, he captioned the footage: “Emergency declared at Dublin airport terminal two. It is being evacuated.”
The official Dublin Airport X account replied directly to his post stating: “Fake news. No emergency, no evacuation. Please consider deleting.” They later posted a follow-up confirmation indicating that the airport was operating normally.
Following backlash and online criticism from other users, McAleer initiated formal legal action and issued defamation proceedings against the DAA in the Irish High Court on May 29, 2026.
McAleer is represented by solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW Law, who confirmed that a preliminary response has been received from the DAA. A spokesperson for the DAA stated that the operator does not comment on live legal matters.
Originally from County Tyrone, McAleer is a former journalist for the Financial Times and The Sunday Times. He is currently a Los Angeles-based documentary filmmaker, author, and playwright. Alongside his wife, Ann McElhinney, he co-founded the Unreported Story Society, an organisation dedicated to highlighting stories they believe are ignored by mainstream media platforms.
