Two viral videos claimed as Paris protests were from 2023
One showed pension protesters entering the stock exchange, and the other was filmed in Angers.
Reuters World News · France protests, Texas Senate race and West Bank olivesTwo viral videos shared as current protests in Paris were actually filmed in 2023.
One clip showed protesters entering the Paris Stock Exchange and was shared as breaking news about demonstrations over rising living costs. It came from retirement-benefit demonstrations three years earlier, said Nick Vant, a fact checker at Reuters.
Another clip showed police and protesters clashing amid smoke and burning debris. It was shared with the claim that Paris looked like a war zone, but it was filmed in Angers, another French city, in 2023.
Questions people ask
Are there real protests happening in France right now?
Yes. France has seen fresh demonstrations over rising living costs, with street clashes and fires reported in Paris. The recycled videos spread alongside real footage, which makes them harder to spot.
How can I tell if a protest video is old?
Check the date, location, and source before sharing. You can run a reverse image search, look for news logos or street signs, and search key details to see if the same video appeared years earlier.
Why do people share old footage as if it is new?
Old dramatic footage often gets more views and shares than ordinary current scenes. It can also be used to make a present protest look larger, more violent, or more chaotic than it is.