To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.
2 min
As young people take to the streets across Europe to protest poor school conditions and the rising cost of living, misleading videos circulating online regarding the demonstrations.
Footage from Poland, Portugal and Argentina has been falsely presented as evidence of recent unrest in Europe, with some posts suggesting the continent is descending into chaos. Others may be seeking to attract clicks and engagement.
One viral video, viewed more than a million times on X, appears to show enormous crowds gathered in Poland. Social media users claimed it depicted millions of people taking part in recent protests. But the footage is nearly nine years old. It shows Poland’s annual Independence Day march and was already circulating online in 2017.
The video has repeatedly resurfaced with misleading captions over the years. It was also previously shared as footage of unrest in France and was debunked earlier this year by FRANCE 24’s fact-checking service, The Observers.
Another video has been used to spread false claims about protests in Portugal. Posts on social media claimed the country had deployed its army to suppress demonstrations, warning that Portugal was on the “brink of social explosion”.
The footage shows military vehicles driving through the streets of Porto, accompanied by dramatic music. While the video was indeed filmed in the Portuguese city - with the famous...
To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. 2 min As young people take to the streets across Europe to protest poor school conditions and...