19 October 2026 Fact check

Old video shared as French student protests

What was claimed

A video shows footage of the recent student protests in France.

Our verdict

This video is old and dates back to at least March 2023.

A video of police using shields and batons during a protest is circulating online with captions suggesting the footage shows the recent student protests in France.

But this video has actually been online since at least March 2023.

Debunk image old video of France protests

Students across France have been holding demonstrations against poor classroom conditions and underfunding in education since late September. Some protests have turned violent, with hundreds reportedly injured.

This clip was circulating before the riots and looting this weekend, and is unrelated to recent events. It has been online since at least March 2023, when there were nationwide protests in France against plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

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