FACT CHECK: Viral Photo Of Emmanuel Macron Sitting In Front Of Fire Is AI-Generated
An image shared on Twitter purports to show French President Emmanuel Macron sitting outside in front of a pile of debris as a fire burns behind him.
France is heading to civil war. The riots have spread nation wide.#FranceRiots pic.twitter.com/8XbiqhDgdO
— Hobbit of hyperinflation (@HHyperinflation) July 1, 2023
Verdict: False
A scan using Hive Moderation reveals the image has been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Fact Check:
Macron was reportedly booed during France’s Bastille Day parade on Jul. 14, according to the Daily Mail. The parade follows protests over the death of Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old of Algerian descent who was fatally shot by French police at a traffic stop on Jun. 27, The New York Times reported.
The Twitter post purports to show an image of Macron sitting outside in front of a pile of debris as a fire burns behind him. “France is heading to civil war. The riots have spread nation wide. #FranceRiots,” the post’s caption reads. The image has been viewed over 55,000 times as of writing.
A scan using Hive Moderation reveals the image has been created using AI. The results of the scan also reveal Midjourney was the most probable program used to create the image.
Screenshot captured via Hive Moderation
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find any recent credible news reports about Macron or the French protests that reference the image.
In addition, the French President has not commented on the image via his website or verified social media accounts. The Police Nationale/French Police also have not shared the image of Macron via its website or verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Video Claims To Show Destruction In France)
Check Your Fact has contacted Macron and the Police Nationale/French Police for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
This is not the first time a false claim about the recent French protests has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a video shared on Twitter purporting to show French police hitting a female protestor.
