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| - Fact Check: Viral Images of Topless Women Protesters in France Misrepresented
Vishvas News’ investigation revealed that this video from France dated November 24, 2024, is related to raising awareness about violence against women and advocating for their rights. The women seen in the video belong to a feminist group called ‘FEMEN’, known for its protests. Members of this group often protest topless to raise their voices against injustice and violence against women. In this video too, they staged a similar demonstration, which is now being misrepresented with fake claims.
By: Umam Noor
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Published: Feb 25, 2025 at 05:15 PM
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Updated: Feb 25, 2025 at 05:18 PM
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New Delhi (Vishvas News). A video is going viral on social media, showing a group of topless women protesting. Users are sharing the video with the claim that Iranian women staged this demonstration in France against the hijab and burqa, and this happened recently in Paris.
However, Vishvas News’ investigation revealed that the video is from France, dated November 24, 2024, and is related to protests against violence towards women. The women seen in the video are associated with a feminist group ‘FEMEN’, known for its bold protests.
Members of ‘FEMEN’ often stage topless protests to raise awareness about social injustice and violence against women. In this case, they did a similar demonstration before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is now being misrepresented with false claims.
What is in the viral post?
A Facebook user shared the viral post with the caption, “On one hand, Iranian Muslim women are being forced to protest in a unique way against hijab and fundamentalists in Paris, France, while the fundamentalists of the same religion are forcing them to live a hellish life by binding them in evil practices like burqa hijab, triple talaq halala in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India. However, these scenes of protest are also not appropriate in a civilized society. Women should have adopted some other method. There was a time when Iran was considered a very liberal country where women used to wear modern clothes. But, the havoc of fundamentalists started wreaking havoc there as well.”
See the archived version of the post here.
Investigation
To begin our investigation, we carefully examined the viral video and noticed the name ‘Brut’ appearing in it. Additionally, we took a screenshot of the French text visible in the video and translated it using Google Translate. The translation read, ”The Action of Femen in front of the Louvre against violence towards women throughout the world”.
Based on this, we furthered our investigation by searching for the video on Brut’s social media handles using relevant keywords. Our search led us to the official Instagram account of Brut, where the video was uploaded on November 23, 2024. According to the information given in the video, FEMEN activists in Paris staged a topless protest to raise awareness against violence against women worldwide.
Additionally, we found a related news report on the website ‘shethepeople.tv‘. According to the detailed information provided in the report, ”On November 25, hundreds of FEMEN activists staged a topless protest outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This act of resistance against gender-based violence is slowly becoming a global movement. Under the cry “Femme, Vie, Liberté” (Women, Life, Freedom), more than 100 topless activists from FEMEN gathered to draw attention to violence against women. Slogans such as “Stop War on Women” and “Women, Life, Freedom” were painted across their bodies in French, English, and Kurdish. The FEMEN Instagram page described the event as a “living symbol of global feminist defiance,” standing in solidarity with women facing oppression in countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Ukraine, Palestine and more.”
We also found photos related to this demonstration on FEMEN’s official Instagram account. The caption stated, “Lifting the Veil on Violence Against Women Worldwide On November 24, 100 FEMEN activists from various countries made an uncompromising statement of resistance from Paris to all women everywhere suppressed by theocracies, wars and dictatorships. Marking International Day against Violence against Women, a hundred women march to embody a living symbol of global feminist defiance against patriarchal violence, the oppression of women, and the global surge in authoritarianism. We stand in solidarity with oppressed and violated girls and women in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, Libya…. – too many places!! Led by singer Lio @lio_la_vraie , we sang ‘L’Hymne des Femmes’ while veiled in black, a symbol of women’s mourning and erasure. FEMEN then raised our voices, singing in Farsi “The Song of Equality” led by @victoriagugenheim , the anthem of Iranian women’s resistance, in solidarity with the heroines of the #WomanLifeFreedom revolution. Every activist teared off her veil in a moment of liberation. Our bodies — marked with slogans and messages of resistance — is our manifesto of defiance. Removing the veil is not merely symbolic; it is a conscious act of reclaiming — a declaration to the world that we refuse to be silenced, we will not be erased, and we will never stop fighting for our freedom and that of our sisters.”
According to a Euro News report from November 23, 2024, thousands of people in France and Italy marched against violence against women on Saturday. This demonstration was organised two days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The protesters opposed all forms of physical, mental, and economic violence against women.
Additionally, we found a related image on the photo agency Alamy.com. The accompanying information stated, “FEMENS rally to protest violence against women in the Middle East in front of the Louvre museum in Paris, France on November 24, 2024, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women”.
According to the FEMEN’s official website, this is an international women’s movement of brave topless female activists, painted with slogans and crowned with flowers.
To verify the viral video, we contacted Alexandre Caprun, a fact checker at Les Vérificateurs in France, and shared the viral post with him. He stated, “These are Femen activists who demonstrated against violence against women, there is no mention of their religious identity anywhere.”
Next, we scanned the Facebook user who shared the fake post and found that the user is a resident of Siwan, Bihar and has around 5000 followers.
Conclusion: Vishvas News’ investigation revealed that this video from France dated November 24, 2024, is related to raising awareness about violence against women and advocating for their rights. The women seen in the video belong to a feminist group called ‘FEMEN’, known for its protests. Members of this group often protest topless to raise their voices against injustice and violence against women. In this video too, they staged a similar demonstration, which is now being misrepresented with fake claims.
Claim Review : Demonstration by Iranian women in France against hijab
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Claimed By : FB User- Rajesh Shukla
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Fact Check : False
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