Staged Street Fight Video Falsely Linked to Muslim Immigrants in France
The Claim
In France, a gang of Muslim immigrants tried to assault a group of young women. Little did they know what awaited them. Don’t mess with the French women!
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Emerging story
Amid a recent wave of misinformation targeting Muslims in Europe, social media users spread a video clip allegedly showing a group of Muslim immigrants in France attempting to attack a group of young women. In the video, the women fought back the men and managed to escape the scene.
Users on platform X shared the clip with the caption, "In France, a gang of Muslim immigrants tried to assault a group of young women. Little did they know what awaited them. Don’t mess with the French women!"
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral footage and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the video making the rounds to be staged.
Choreographed Video of Street Fight, Not Related to Muslims
Contrary to social media users’ circulating claim, the video does not depict Muslim immigrants being beaten by French women. The footage originally shows a staged street fight.
It was first uploaded on November 2, 2023, by Campus Univers Cascades, a French stunt team, featuring actors performing a choreographed scene in which women fight off men and escape.
In addition, the footage was shared with hashtags such as "#stuntteam," "#stuntlife," and "#choreography," further indicating that the fight was staged and part of a choreographed performance.
Misbar’s investigative team also analyzed a shot from the circulating footage, where men were spotted wearing hoodies with the "CUC" logo, which is the exact emblem of the stunt team, Campus Univers Cascades.
As shown in the team’s Instagram bio, the page is linked to Campus Univers Cascades, a French stunt team, and describes itself as featuring "Stuntmen, fighters, and performers" and as the "World Biggest Stunt School in the World."
Islamophobia Is Surging Throughout Europe
Hateful rhetoric against Muslims and migrants surged in Germany following Saturday’s deadly knife attack in Solingen, where a Syrian asylum-seeker killed three people and injured eight others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party quickly seized the incident to criticize the government, attributing the violence to the ruling coalition's diversity policies ahead of key state elections.
This surge in Islamophobic disinformation and deliberate false narratives coincides with a broader wave of Islamophobia spreading across Europe, especially after similar attacks in other countries.
Official statistics reveal that Islamophobic crimes in Germany more than doubled in 2023, with nearly 10% involving violence, according to the German Alliance Against Islamophobia and Discrimination Against Muslims (CLAIM). Similarly, the U.K.-based organization Tell Mama reported a sevenfold increase in anti-Muslim incidents between October 7 and February 7, compared to the same period the previous year. Austria and other European nations have also witnessed similar upward trends.
Misbar Thoroughly Investigates Hate Speech in Europe
Moreover, Misbar's investigative team has been monitoring hate speech and Islamophobia in Europe since October 7. The team has conducted many investigations and published several blogs addressing the misinformation targeting Muslims across Europe.
Read More
2021 Photo of Stabbing Incident Resurfaces As Recent Knife Attack in Solingen, Germany
Growing Disinformation Surrounds Migrants After Solingen Stabbing Incident
