FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Police Participating In Protest In France?

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on Twitter purportedly shows French police officers participating in a recent protest by throwing down their handcuffs.

 Verdict: False

The caption is inaccurate. The video predates the recent protests in France.

Fact Check:

Massive protests have raged on for over 10 days in France over the changes made to pensions and the retirement age, CNN reported. Reportedly, 900,000 protesters were expected to join over 200 rallies planned just for Tuesday, the outlet reported.

The video on Twitter, viewed 120,000 times, purports the French police have taken part in the demonstrations that are currently underway across the country. The video shows a line of officers placing their handcuffs on the ground in a symbolic gesture.

“Police in France are throwing away their handcuffs in protest,” the caption reads. “The NWO is almost finished.” (Related: No, This Image Does Not Show A Mugshot Of Donald Trump)

The caption is inaccurate. The video dates back to 2020 when police protested in opposition to law enforcement changes that prohibited the use of a chokehold for officers when they perform an arrest. The ban came after the death of George Floyd, according to TIME.

The Guardian reported this ban was reversed due in large part to the objection of police officers throughout the country. Officers were outraged by the ban, arguing that a chokehold is often a necessary tool in subduing a suspect and banning it would endanger officers.

This is not the first time a video has been shared with a false or misleading caption. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim John McCain called out Rand Paul for objecting to Ukraine joining NATO.

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

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