Widely shared image is from 2016 French protests, not Kenya in 2024
A screenshot of the false post, taken on June 19, 2024
Kenyan-based users shared the photo showing a black-clad protester in ski goggles holding a tennis racquet, with some posts racking up thousands of likes and shares.
The Finance Bill 2024 sparked fury among many Kenyans, who staged protests on June 18, during which officers lobbed tear gas and arrested hundreds of demonstrators.
A police report seen by AFP said one officer was seriously hurt when a tear gas grenade exploded in his hands.
Some users rejected the claim that the video showed a Kenyan protester, but others applauded the individual.
“We are the Gen Z and we are tired with the government,” wrote one user.
Gen Z refers to those born between 1997 and 2012, with its oldest members around 27 years old (archived here).
“That guy is a leader… protecting at all costs,” wrote another.
But the image is from an anti-labour reform demonstration in France in 2016, not Kenya’s recent protests.
France, not Kenya
AFP Fact Check used a reverse image search and found the image on the Reuters news agency’s website, captioned “France revolts against labor reform”(archived here).
