Visuals of Protests From Paris Over Pension Reforms Given False Communal Twist

These videos show protests in Paris which were held against the pension reforms.

Fact-check: These videos showing protests happening in Paris over pension reforms are being shared with a false communal angle.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A video showing protests, vandalising of a restaurant, burning garbage bins and barricades is going viral on social media, claiming that this chaos was created by 'immigrants' in Paris.

Some of the claims also sarcastically linked these visuals with Ram Navami rallies, referring to the clashes that took place recently in different parts of India.

(Note: Swipe to check the screenshots.)

An archive can be seen here.

An archive can be seen here.

What's the truth?: These protests are indeed from Paris, but they are unrelated to the migrants or Ram Navami.

• Paris is witnessing massive protests since January against French President Emmanuel Macron and the pension reforms introduced by him.

How did we find out the truth?: We performed a relevant keyword search and found a photo shared by the stock images website, Alamy.

• The picture showed the protestors breaking the window of a McDonald's restaurant in Paris.

• The image was dated 23 March 2023.

The image was uploaded by Alamy o

• We found a similar video of people vandalising McDonald's shared by Guardian News on 24 March.

• The description stated that 23 March marked the ninth day of protests across France against Macron's pensions reforms.

• Further, we found another image similar to the one of burning of garbage bins, cycle and wooden structures on Alamy.

• The image uploaded by Alamy was from a different angle.

• The description stated that the image was clicked on 23 March at Ile de France, Paris, during the protests.

The image was dated 23 March 2023.

• We also came across a report by Reuters that stated that protestors set garbage bins on fire across Paris.

• It also adds that around 300 people gathered in the southwestern city of Bordeaux and lit bins on fire while chanting 'Macron, resign!'

• The viral video carried a clip of a massive red balloon with white text over it. We found the picture of a similar balloon amidst the images of protests on Alamy.

• The picture was uploaded on 23 March and the caption mentioned that this was taken at the protest against the pension reform law in Paris.

• The white text on one of the sides of the balloon read, "Solidaires", which is a French group of trade unions.

Several such balloons with different colours were involved in the Paris protests.

• A similar picture of the same balloon was also carried in The New York Times which was shared on 23 March.

• The report mentioned that Paris witnessed massive and prolonged protests after Macron raised the retirement age to 64.

The article talked about the protests happening in Paris over pension reforms.

What are these protests?: After Macron called for increasing the retirement age to 64, citizens of France took to the streets to protest against the bill.

• Sanitation workers went on strike, leading to tons of garbage lying around the streets.

• The protests and strikes began on 6 March until 29 March.

• According to Associated Press, trash mounds reached over ten million kilograms from the streets of Paris.

• Agence France-Presse (AFP) shared several YouTube videos showing protests, burning garbage bins and police throwing tear gas at the demonstrators in Paris.

• However, none of the reports mentioned of any particular religious group participating in the demonstrations.

Conclusion: These videos showing protests happening in Paris over pension reforms are being shared with a false communal angle.

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