Paris In Flames, So Is The Truth
A football celebration turned violent. Online propagandists turned it communal. As rumours of Muslim migrants burning Paris spread across social media, the facts told a different story.
Football fans coming to blows along rival lines is hardly anything new. But the violence that broke out in Paris following PSG’s Champions League victory has given right-wing social media accounts precisely the sort of moment they relish — one they are now exploiting to stoke communal and racial hatred.
The 31st of May belonged to Paris Saint-Germain. They defeated English club Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final to claim the title, and the city duly erupted. Thousands poured onto the streets, swept up in the sort of euphoria that only football can produce.
Then night fell, and matters took a rather different turn.
A section of the crowd began letting off firecrackers, setting electric bikes alight, smashing shop fronts, and vandalising public property. By the time the dust had settled, several vehicles, businesses, and bus shelters had been left in ruins. Official news agencies confirmed the extent of the destruction.
Across France, some 780 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, according to a report by The Guardian. Yet before order had even been restored, social media had already conjured its own version of events. Certain posts claimed that the Eiffel Tower itself had gone up in flames. Right-wing pages went considerably further — laying the blame squarely on undocumented Muslim immigrants, with scant regard for facts or evidence.
What is viral?
Following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory, claims began circulating online that North African migrants had rioted across Paris while demanding the implementation of Sharia law. Social media posts alleged that crowds chanted slogans such as “Allahu Akbar” and “Death to France” and had set parts of the city ablaze, describing the unrest as a consequence of mass immigration in France.
On May 31, the Facebook page ‘We stand for Citizen Amendment Bill/NRC’, which usually shared pro-CAA and NRC posts, shared the video with the caption, “Result of entertaining illegal Islamic migrants. Eiffel Tower, Paris is burning,” suggesting that the video shows migrants resorting to vandalism in Paris.
In response to the post, a user commented, “Shoot on sight,” while another stated, “Put them all in a cage and euthanize them.”
We identified that on May 31, the Facebook page also shared the post in seven different Facebook groups, including SUPPORT BJP, MISSION 2029 BJP OFFICIAL Group, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The claim was shared by a Facebook page named Vijeesh Ctk, which also used hashtags including #IllegalMigration, #Islamists, and #ParisIsBurning.
The same account has also shared another post making a similar allegation. The Malayalam caption translates to, “If you support illegal immigrants, you should see what is happening in Paris, France today. France gave them shelter and an opportunity for a better life. Today, they are setting France on fire. Europe is collapsing because of its liberal policies and laws. Every illegal immigrant who has entered India must be deported.”
The comments beneath posts shared by this right-wing account also include remarks mocking the recently emerged online movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party.
Similar claims have been circulating in English as well. Posts on X have gone viral alleging that the Eiffel Tower in Paris is on fire following attacks carried out by what they describe as “Muslim invaders”. These posts further claim that migrants from countries such as Syria, Pakistan, Yemen and Sudan are responsible for the violence and unrest.
This post has already been viewed more than 200,000 times as of June 1. Engagement metrics also indicate that it has received over 6,000 likes.
Several similar posts have gone viral on X. Right-wing accounts have been among the most active in amplifying and sharing these claims.
The bio of the X account Sheethal Chopra, which has more than 1,00,000 followers, suggests that it is supportive of the RSS. This is evident from the information provided in the account’s profile description.
What Actually Happened?
Several social media posts indicate that the disturbances were linked to celebrations by football fans following PSG’s victory.
A video titled “PSG celebrations after the historic victory” was uploaded to YouTube on 31 May, showing scenes from the post-match celebrations.
No credible news reports indicate that the unrest in France yesterday was caused by migrants or Muslims. According to a report by the French state-owned broadcaster France 24, the violence stemmed from clashes linked to football supporters following PSG’s victory. The BBC has also published reports accompanied by photographs documenting incidents across France.
There are also no official reports confirming claims that the Eiffel Tower caught fire. The Eiffel Tower’s official X account has not posted any information suggesting such an incident occurred.
Major news organisations have extensively covered the events that unfolded in France after the football final. However, none of these reports mention a fire at the Eiffel Tower, despite the claim circulating widely on social media.
(This is an AI-assisted translation of an article originally written in Malayalam, produced under editorial supervision, along with additional inputs from Sujith A).
