Video of Burning Vehicle Lot in Australia Falsely Linked to French Riots
A video circulating on social media that claims to show dozens of cars burning in Marseille, France, amid ongoing protests has been debunked. The video actually shows a storage yard in Perth, Australia, that caught fire in April, predating the unrest in France.
The caption on the video, which reads, Parking lot with new cars on fire in Marseille as protests in France continue, has been shared multiple times on Facebook and Twitter, garnering over 90 shares in just three days. However, the claim is false.
The video in question is consistent with footage published by the Australian Broadcasting Company, which reported that the fire took place at Pickles Auction in Perth. The fire damaged hundreds of vehicles but did not cause any injuries. The auction company issued a statement on April 29 stating that they were still investigating the cause of the fire.
Numerous news outlets, including The Guardian and Australian outlets 9News and The Sydney Morning Herald, published photos and footage of the fire at the time.
This false claim has been debunked by Reuters and the Associated Press. The National Library of France was also falsely claimed to have been set on fire amid the unrest in the country in a previous debunking by USA TODAY.
It is important to verify the accuracy of information before sharing it on social media platforms. False claims can spread quickly and contribute to misinformation.
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This fact-checked article was supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
