False Videos of Sri Lanka & Nepal Protests Shared as Philippine Anti-Corruption Rallies
Videos falsely depicting protests in Sri Lanka and Nepal have been shared on social media, misleadingly presented as footage from recent anti-corruption demonstrations in Manila, Philippines. The authentic rallies protested a scandal involving questionable flood-control projects. The spread of misinformation aims to portray greater unrest than exists, and to potentially discredit the real rallies.
Misleading Social Media Posts
One TikTok video, posted on September 22, 2025, falsely claimed to show the "People Power" movement in the Philippines, referencing the 1986 revolt. The video appeared a day after genuine rallies occurred in Manila over an alleged billion-dollar corruption scandal affecting flood-control projects. The caption amplified the false narrative. Another similar video was widely shared on Facebook, garnering over 1.5 million views and echoing similar sentiments in Tagalog.
Both videos, though presented as current events in the Philippines, were in fact unrelated footage from protests in Sri Lanka and Nepal. These videos have been debunked by AFP.
Sri Lanka: 2022 Presidential Palace Protest
A reverse image search confirmed that the first video originated in Sri Lanka. It captured footage from July 2022, showing protesters storming the Presidential Palace in Colombo during widespread economic unrest. The footage was originally posted by Sri Lanka's NewsWire and the New Indian Express, clearly identifying the location and date.
AFP reported on the massive protests in Colombo in July 2022, where hundreds of thousands demanded governmental accountability for financial mismanagement and shortages.
Nepal: Anti-Corruption Rallies of 2025
The second video was traced to Nepal. A reverse image search revealed the footage was published on YouTube and TikTok on September 8, 2025. These videos depicted youth-led anti-corruption rallies in Kathmandu that led to the government's downfall.
Further verification using Google Maps and identifying shop signs confirmed the video's location as Kathmandu, Nepal.
Debunking Misinformation
AFP has actively debunked these and other instances of misinformation relating to the anti-corruption rallies in Manila. The spread of false information can undermine legitimate protest movements and manipulate public perception. It is important to verify the source and context of videos and images before sharing them on social media.
