False Videos Misrepresent French Protests Against Austerity Policies
Recent social media posts have falsely depicted protests against President Emmanuel Macron's austerity measures in France. The videos used in these posts actually show rallies held against Donald Trump in the United States, anti-corruption protests in Nepal, and unrelated incidents. This misinformation aims to misrepresent the scale and nature of the demonstrations.
Misleading Social Media Posts
Several social media posts have circulated with misleading claims about protests in France. One Instagram post, dated September 20, 2025, with an Indonesian caption, falsely claimed to show "chaos" and "thousands of teachers and workers" protesting in Paris. However, this video, and others like it, have been debunked through reverse image searches.
Another Facebook post used a compilation of clips, including a crowd of protesters, police confronting people, and a building on fire. The overlaid text in Indonesian stated, "After Nepal, now Paris follows Indonesia’s footsteps. France is also burning." These claims are also false and misleading.
Origins of the Misleading Footage
The videos used in these false posts originate from various unrelated events. One clip, claiming to show French protests, actually depicts a "No Kings" protest in Los Angeles on June 14, 2025. This protest was against what demonstrators called Trump's "authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics." The location was confirmed by comparing the video with Google Street View imagery of Broadway Street in Los Angeles.
Another clip used in the misinformation comes from a Kathmandu rally in Nepal. This video, uploaded on TikTok on September 8, 2025, shows youth-led anti-corruption protests sparked by a ban on social media and fueled by anger at government corruption and economic issues. The footage corresponds with an AFP photo of the protest.
Further investigation revealed that a clip showing police confronting protesters was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on April 3, 2025, by journalist Enzo Rabouy. The video shows police intervention during a demonstration against budget cuts in French universities in Paris. The fire was during a "block everything" protest on September 10. AFP covered the police intervention and the protest during April 3, 2025.
Water Cannon Misinformation
A Facebook video, shared on September 13, 2025, with Thai text and a #Nepal hashtag, falsely claimed to show protests in Nepal. The video depicts protestors being struck by water cannons. This footage actually originates from a "Block Everything" demonstration in Montpellier, France.
Reverse image searches traced the video to an X post by journalist Ricardo Parreira, who stated that a protester was seriously injured in Montpellier. France 3 also reported on the "Block Everything" demonstrations, confirming that police used water cannons in Montpellier. The location was geolocated to Place de la Comédie in Montpellier, using visual clues and Google Maps imagery.
Old Video Re-Emerges with False Claims
An old video of a march in Warsaw, Poland, marking Poland's independence day, has resurfaced online with false claims that it depicts mass protests in Paris against the French government. The video, which first appeared on November 12, 2017, shows people flying the Polish flag and includes signs for retailers such as H&M, C&A, and TK MAXX, matching the stores around a central Warsaw roundabout. The Polish national anthem can also be heard in the background.
Conclusion
These examples highlight the spread of misinformation surrounding protests in France. It is crucial to verify the origin and context of videos before sharing them on social media to avoid perpetuating false narratives and undermining accurate reporting on these important events. AFP has previously debunked other misinformation about the French protests.
