French TV Channels Apologise After Showing Albania Protest Footage As Paris, Lyon Clashes
Two French news channels have apologised after mistakenly broadcasting footage of protests in Albania as live scenes from Paris and Lyon, triggering criticism over their coverage of demonstrations across France on October 24.
The errors occurred as nearly 300 demonstrations took place across France over rising living costs and school funding, drawing hundreds of thousands of people, according to reports.
Private broadcaster CNEWS first misidentified footage from the Albanian capital, Tirana, as images from Porte d’Italie in Paris. The video showed masked protesters, some wearing ski goggles, gathering on a street, with one demonstrator waving a red flag.
A commentator described the individuals as potential vandals and rioters, suggesting that violence could erupt at the Paris demonstration. However, the footage was actually recorded on Rruga e Durrësit, a street in central Tirana, according to verification by The Associated Press.
CNEWS presenter Olivier Benkemoun subsequently apologised on air, attributing the mistake to confusion between video feeds arriving from different locations. He acknowledged that the images of masked demonstrators came from Albania, not Paris.
Public broadcaster franceinfo made a similar error, airing footage of riot police advancing behind vehicles equipped with water cannons. The channel identified the images as live coverage from Lyon, where its presenter described the situation as tense.
Three minutes later, the presenter corrected the report, confirming that the footage was from Tirana and apologising to viewers.
The mistakes drew criticism, including from French left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who condemned CNEWS for presenting Albanian footage as if it had been filmed in Paris.
The controversy unfolded amid genuine unrest in France. Demonstrations were largely peaceful initially, but clashes broke out towards the end of the Paris march, with masked protesters throwing objects and fireworks at police. Officers responded with tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons. Violence was also reported in other cities.
France’s Interior Ministry reported 1,314 arrests nationwide on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Albania was experiencing its own anti-government unrest. Demonstrators in Tirana have protested against alleged government corruption, unemployment and poor education standards, with some demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation.
On Sunday, protesters gathered outside Albania’s Education Ministry before marching towards Rama’s office. The unrest has also been fuelled by opposition to a controversial coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
The two broadcasters’ errors highlighted the importance of verifying the location and context of live footage, particularly when reporting on politically sensitive demonstrations and public disorder.