No, This Video Doesn’t Capture Christians Protesting in Paris During Olympic Opening Ceremony

A viral video clip is being shared with false claims that it shows Christian demonstrators protesting at the Olympics. The clip was actually taken at an unrelated event in May.

Organizers of the Paris Olympics are facing criticism from religious leaders worldwide. Some claimed that a display during the opening ceremony evoked scenes from Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The ceremony featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch, an LGBTQ+ icon, flanked by drag artists and dancers, which raised some eyebrows.

Artistic director Thomas Jolly later clarified the scene. He stated it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to Greek mythology and French cuisine, not to reference “The Last Supper.” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps apologized to those offended by the display.

Following the backlash, a video showing a large crowd of Christian demonstrators near the Eiffel Tower surfaced on social media. The clip, viewed over a million times, was shared with claims that it was a protest against the opening ceremony.

Text on the video, posted on TikTok, reads, “CHRISTIAN WORSHIP SERVICE BREAKS OUT IN PARIS AFTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY.” Commenters largely believed it was from the Olympics due to the lack of news coverage on such gatherings, prompting the VERIFY team to investigate its authenticity.

THE QUESTION

Does this video show Christians protesting in Paris over the Olympic opening ceremony?

THE ANSWER

No, this video doesn’t show Christians protesting in Paris over the Olympic opening ceremony.

WHAT WE FOUND

While there have been reports of other religious protests in response to the opening ceremony, this viral video isn’t one of them. The video was initially posted online months before the Olympic ceremonies began.

Using video and photo forensics tools InVid and RevEye, VERIFY traced the video back to a post on Instagram from May 25, 2024. The first day of the Olympic opening ceremony was July 26. Both videos share common elements: the same music, the same performer, and a sign that reads “Jesus T’aime” (Jesus I love you).

The caption on the original video indicates it was taken during the annual “March for Jesus” festival. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported that over 25,000 people attended the march. The “March For Jesus France” website notes the event started in Paris in 1991 and has since expanded to other cities worldwide.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.