On March 19-20, two videos showing large crowds gathered on the streets were shared on Russian-language (1, 2, 3, 4) and Georgian-language Facebook accounts, linking them to ongoing protests in Turkey. The first video shows a convoy of cars accompanied by a marching crowd. The online media outlet Tabula also shared this video but later deleted it. The second video depicts a gathering of people in a public square.
Both videos circulating on social media are old and unrelated to the ongoing protests in Turkey. The first video actually captures Pope Francis’ visit to East Timor in September 2024 and his meeting with pilgrims. The second video was filmed during protests in Serbia in December 2024.
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The First Video Was Filmed in East Timor
The first video, showing a convoy of cars and a large marching crowd, was filmed in East Timor in September 2024 and was originally uploaded to TikTok by the user “rey.marques.” Pope Francis met with pilgrims in East Timor on September 10. The footage shows pilgrims gathered to see the Pope. According to a Vatican statement, out of East Timor’s 1.3 million residents, 600,000 attended the mass on that day.
Rey Marques, a photographer from East Timor’s capital, Dili, who uploaded the video to TikTok, told AFP’s fact-checking service that he did not know who the author of the video was but identified that the footage was taken near the Raikotu General Cemetery in the city.
AFP compared the footage with Google Street View imagery from the same location and confirmed that the video was indeed filmed near the Raikotu General Cemetery. The images below compare buildings, streets, and trees captured in the video with corresponding elements on Google Street View, showing an exact match.
In a higher-resolution version of the video, the flag of East Timor and a poster of Pope Francis are also visible.
The local media also covered the Pope’s meeting with the pilgrims, and a similar scene to the one circulating on social media can be seen on the Facebook page of TVET Entertainment.
Notably, this footage has been repeatedly shared in the past and linked to different events on social media. According to an AFP fact-checked article, the same video was misrepresented in 2024 as footage from a rally supporting former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his family. In September 2024, it was also falsely presented as the largest protest in Mumbai, India.
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The Second Video Was Filmed in Serbia
The second video, which is also being linked to the protests in Turkey, was actually filmed in Serbia on December 22, 2024. The footage was widely circulated in various media outlets. The shot from an identical angle was published by Euronews’ Bosnian service on December 22, 2024.
Mass protests erupted in Novi Sad, Serbia, following the collapse of a railway station roof in November, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people. Citizens demanded accountability from the Serbian government. Demonstrators blamed authorities for corruption and poor construction standards.
After months of large-scale protests, on March 19, the Serbian parliament officially approved the government’s resignation. According to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, if a new government is not formed within 30 days after the Prime Minister’s resignation, early parliamentary elections will be scheduled for June.
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What Is Happening in Turkey?
Mass protests have erupted in Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Imamoglu, who is considered the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on March 19, just days before he was set to register as a candidate in the elections.
İmamoglu is a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and is regarded as one of Erdogan’s strongest political opponents. Prosecutors accuse the Istanbul mayor of corruption and supporting a terrorist organization, labeling him a “criminal organization leader.” As part of the investigation, police have issued arrest warrants for an additional 100 people, including politicians, journalists, and business figures. The governor of Istanbul has also imposed a four-day restriction on demonstrations. Nevertheless, protests continue across city streets, university campuses, and underground stations. Demonstrators are calling Erdogan a dictator and chanting anti-government slogans.
According to Reuters footage, police used pepper spray to disperse crowds outside Istanbul University.
About the Source:
The Facebook account Георгий Кушиташвили [Georgyy Kushitashvili] is known for its pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian stance and has repeatedly spread false information, which have been fact-checked by Myth Detector.
Similarly, the Facebook account Bakar Zaalishvili (1, 2, 3) regularly spreads misinformation. Another individual, Aibek Chekoshev, has also been found to share disinformation.
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