By Anmol Alphonso
An old video from Portland, United States of a Louis Vuitton store being looted during protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis is being shared with a false claim that it is from France during the recent violence that broke out.
Widespread riots broke out in France last week after a 17-year-old boy of Algerian heritage was shot dead by a police officer at a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on June 27, 2023. Looting was reported in several cities including Lyon, Marseille and Grenoble.
Several old and unrelated images and videos are being shared claiming they show scenes of unrest in France.
The viral video is being shared with the caption, "LOUIS VUITTON is being looted in France.. #FranceRiots #FranceHasFallen #franceViolence"
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The same video was also misreported by Hindustan Times in a video compilation posted on YouTube reporting on the riots in France.
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The clip is also being widely shared on Facebook with the same false claim.
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Also Read:France Unrest: Old Videos Shared As Wild Animals Released By Rioters
FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral video is from Portland, United States in May 2020 during protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The video has no connection to France or the ongoing unrest in the country.
The video was posted on May 30, 2020, by Sergio Olmos, a freelance journalist who was reporting on the protests that broke out in Portland, United States after the police killing of George Floyd.
Olmos had tweeted it then with the caption, "Portland Lou V looted". The same visuals as in the viral video can be seen in this video below.
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Olmos tweeted on June 30, 2023, stating that the video he shot is not from France as being shared on social media.
BOOM reached out to Olmos who confirmed that the viral video was shot by him back in 2020 in Portland during the George Floyd protests.
We were also able to geo-locate the Louis Vuitton that is in Portland, United States. (Click here to view)
