A video shared on Facebook purportedly shows a “Just Stop Oil” protester being struck by a traffic cone on a U.K. motorway. 

Verdict: False

This video was originally uploaded to YouTube in 2019 with a different title. A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil told Check Your Fact that the video is unfamiliar.

Fact Check:

Just Stop Oil protesters have been climbing gantries on the U.K.’s M25 motorway on the organization’s fourth day of climate demonstrations, BBC reported. British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has encouraged police to crack down harder on the protests, The Guardian reported.

The Facebook video appears to show a traffic cone thrown at a Just Stop Oil protester obstructing traffic on the M25. The video was posted on Facebook on Nov. 8, but does not give any information on when the event occurred. The video was also posted to Twitter, where it garnered over 5,400 retweets.

“Breaking News,” the post reads. “Just stop oil protester, unable to stop Flying Cone.”

The video predates the current protests. A reverse image search found the video was posted to YouTube Nov. 2019 with a different title. “Entitled feminist protestor asking for free abortions gets hit on the head with a traffic cone,” the title reads.

Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about a Just Stop Oil protester being hit by a traffic cone. The group has promised to stop for the meantime in an effort to give the government some time to reconsider issuing new licenses for oil and gas extraction, according to The Guardian. (RELATED: Does This Video Show Iranian Protesters Clashing With Police In October 2022?)

A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil told Check Your Fact via email that the footage was unfamiliar to them and that it was unlikely the clip showed one of the organization’s protesters. 

This is not the first time misinformation about protests have spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim Twitter employees protested Elon Musk’s purchase of the company in pride flags and furry suits.