2017 Protest Clip Viral Claiming Muslims In France Stopped From Praying
BOOM found that the incident is from 2017 in Paris when Muslims took to pray outside on a street, as a mark of protest against the shutting down of a Mosque.
A nearly three-year-old clip showing protests and counter-protests against the decision to close a mosque in the Paris suburb of Clichy is being revived and shared falsely claiming that it shows Muslims in France stopped from praying after the recent violence in France.
The 4.11 minutes clip shows Muslim worshippers who are observing prayers on one side of the street and on the other side counter-protestors holding the French flag in their hands.
This is one of the many pieces of misinformation doing the rounds about France, after the shocking incident of school teacher beheaded allegedly for showing offensive cartoons about Prophet Mohammed, as part of a class discussion on freedom of speech and expression. The incident has since led to global outrage against Islamic extremists with people protesting against the attack. It has on the other side, seen multiple protests against France and against President Emmanuel Macron who has termed an act by "Islamic terrorists".
The viral clip is being shared with the caption which translates to, "In France, this is how Muslims are being harassed while reading Namaz, any Religion this is wrong."
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(In Hindi - फ्रांस मे मुस्लिमो को नमाज पढ़ते हुए कैसे परेशान किया जा रहा है, धर्म कोई भी मगर ये गलत है।)
Viral on Facebook
On searching on Facebook with the same caption, we found that the clip is being shared with the false claim.
Also Read: Old Charlie Hebdo Protest Images Viral As Recent After France Attacks
FACT-CHECK
A reverse image search on one of the video keyframes showed news reports from 2017. The reports stated that the incident is from the suburb of Clichy in Paris where local right-wing mayor Remi Muzeau led a march towards around 200 Muslim worshippers who were observing their Friday prayer outside in protest against the town's decision to close a mosque.
We found a photo matching the viral clip on an Indonesian article dated November 12, 2017, with the headline which when translated reads, "When Demonstrators Disturb Muslim Friday Prayers in France"
The report included a Youtube video that has now been deleted which stated that as in the viral video, demonstrators sang loudly right in front of the Friday prayer congregation.
We also found the same video uploaded on Youtube in 2018, with the caption, "French Nationalists protest over Muslim street prayers in Paris." One can see the same set of events play out as in the viral clip.
One can spot the same protesters and location in this clip uploaded by Russia Today which is shot from a different angle in March 2017. The clip was uploaded with the caption, "Up to 2,000 Muslims gathered outside the Clichy-la-Garenne Town Hall, in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, Friday, to pray congregational Friday prayers in public, in protest against the recent closure of a local Mosque."
Comparision
Several clips from the incident of a Mosque in Clichy shutting down in 2017 and the protests that followed are being shared with false claims.
BOOM has previously debunked misinformation after the killing of the French teacher in Paris as unrelated videos and images have been shared with false claims.
Also Read: 2017 Protest Clip Revived After French Teacher's Beheading In Paris
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