This Photo Shows Protests in Israel, Not France
The Claim
An aerial photo shows mass protests in Paris, France.
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Emerging story
During France's ongoing protests, social media users circulated an aerial photo of the mass protests that took place in Paris, France.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating photo and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the photo to be unrelated to France’s recent protests.
This Aerial Photo of Protests Was Taken in Israel
On March 4, 2023, the photo was first published in a published article by Reuters.
According to the photo’s caption, the photo shows an aerial view of Israelis demonstrating against the government’s judicial overhaul.
The photo was published along with other photos showing different views of the protests.
Israelis Rally Against the Government's Judicial Overhaul
For the ninth week in a row, thousands of protestors took to the streets of Israeli cities on March 4 to oppose a governmental plan to overhaul the judiciary in the nation.
The protests in Tel Aviv and other cities got off to a peaceful start. Yet, a video that was eventually made public by the police showed demonstrators toppling barriers and starting fires as they blocked roadways in Tel Aviv. Water cannons were fired by police towards the protestors.
The demonstrators oppose the legislation that Netanyahu and his right-wing and religious supporters want to adopt because it would give lawmakers the last say in selecting judges while limiting the Supreme Court's ability to decide against the legislature and the government.
France Protests Intensify Over Pension Reform
Massive demonstrations against Macron's plan to raise the retirement age for the majority of workers from 62 to 64 have shut down important services across the nation in recent weeks. This proposal has angered opposition legislators and labor unions.
According to the French Interior Ministry, more than 93,000 protestors filled the streets of the nation's capital as part of the 740,000 people who attended 240 rallies across France.
According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of the country's largest trade unions, estimated that there were 450,000 demonstrators overall, which is almost five times the number the ministry reported for Paris.
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