False videos recast French school protests as an immigration crisis
France 24’s fact-check finds that old and decontextualised footage has been used to promote unsupported claims about an “anti-white” uprising and attacks on clergy.
French students are protesting school conditions, including large classes, teacher shortages and poor facilities. France 24 reports that far-right figures have used old, unrelated or decontextualised videos to portray the demonstrations as immigration-driven unrest.
Among those sharing footage were US commentator Alex Jones and UK activist Tommy Robinson. France 24 says the posts promoted claims of an “anti-white civil war” or an Islamist threat, but found no evidence to support them.
One video in a Jones compilation showed a school bus fire in Nîmes in 2022. Footage Robinson shared of a Paris protest had circulated since 2022, while smoke and crowds near the Eiffel Tower in another widely shared clip showed PSG supporters celebrating the club’s Champions League win in May.
France 24 notes that some authentic footage does show incidents linked to current protests, including violence and looting. It says those scenes do not establish the broader claims being made about immigration.
The report also found no evidence that Catholic clergy or institutions were attacked in connection with the protests. Demonstrations and school blockades have also seen clashes with riot police.
