A captivating video has been circulating on various social media platforms, depicting a wooden structure, possibly a church, engulfed in flames. The footage was captured by an individual riding a bicycle, and as they pass by the structure, a significant portion of it collapses due to the intensity of the fire. The video is being widely shared with the claim that it originates from Manipur, a region that has been grappling with ethnic violence for nearly three months. One Twitter user, @AndbhaktJ, shared the video and asserted that the blazing church is the historic St. Joseph’s Church in Sugnu, Imphal, which is over 300 years old. According to his tweet, he attributed the incident to “BJP-supporting extremists” who deliberately set the church ablaze. User @igopalgoswami, known for disseminating misinformation, added a communal angle to the incident, suggesting that the church was torched in retaliation for temple demolitions.
However, upon conducting a thorough fact check, we have discovered that the video has been grossly misattributed. We analyzed the viral video by extracting key frames and conducting a reverse image search. Our investigation led us to a news report by a France-based news agency, dayFREuro, published on July 7, 2023. The report featured a photograph of the same church engulfed in flames. The image came with the caption: “A historic half-timbered church destroyed by fire in the Marne, ‘the symbol of the village that is disappearing’.” The incident took place in Drosnay, a commune located in the Marne department in northeastern France. Additionally, we found a video report by Hindustan Times, uploaded on July 8, which presented the viral video. The caption of the video read: “France Erupts Again; Ancient Church Burnt Into Ashes; Paris Police Ban Protests After New Violence.” The video report explained that the incident involved an alleged attack on a 16th-century church in northeastern France, resulting in its complete destruction. Authorities suspect that this act may be connected to ongoing protests following the killing of a teenager. The details provided in the video report confirm that the viral video of the burning church is from France, not Manipur.
In conclusion, it is evident that the video of the church engulfed in flames, circulating on Twitter with claims of being from Manipur, is indeed a misrepresentation. The video actually originates from France and is related to the protests and unrest unfolding there. We urge users to verify the authenticity of such content before sharing it further.
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Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
