Fact Check: Viral Videos of French Cathedrals Set Ablaze

Debunking Viral Fire Footage

• 💡 A viral video allegedly showing a church in Nantes, France, being set ablaze by Muslims has been circulating on social media.
• 🎯 This footage is out of context and not recent, despite claims of it being a recent jihadist attack.
• 🔍 A reverse image search reveals the video dates back to July 18, 2020, when a fire did occur at the Nantes Cathedral.
• 👤 The individual responsible for the 2020 fire confessed to starting three fires and was identified as a 39-year-old Rwandan asylum seeker, Emmanuel Abayisenga, who was later ruled to be not of sound mind.

Misleading Claims About Notre Dame

• ⚠️ Another viral video falsely claims that Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral was recently set on fire by jihadis.
• ⏳ This footage actually depicts the 2019 Notre Dame fire and is being misrepresented.
• 🚫 A separate video, purportedly showing HTS militants threatening to burn churches, has also been debunked; the individuals in the clip were imitating the group's logo.

Rise in Anti-Muslim Incidents

• 📈 The spread of these misleading videos coincides with a reported rise in anti-Muslim hatred across several EU nations following the Gaza war.
• 📊 France's interior ministry reported a 75% increase in anti-Muslim incidents between January and May 2025 compared to the previous year.