A video showing a large gathering of people offering namaz near a mosque in Moscow, Russia is being shared with a communal spin and falsely claiming it is from the streets of Paris, France.
In the viral video, we can see hear the azan (Islamic call to prayer) and a huge gathering of people can be seen offering the namaz on the road.
The video was tweeted with the caption, "Believe it or not, this is Paris. Yes, the fashion city Paris in SECULAR France."
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The same video was also tweeted by Kreately Media with the text when translated reads, "25 years ago France was memorizing the lesson of 'Liberal-Humanity'...now it is getting a 'lesson'..Common French citizens have no way to walk.. Video"
BOOM has previously debunked misinformation posted by Kreately.
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(In Hinidi - 25 साल पहले फ्रांस 'लिबरल-मानवता' का पाठ रट रहा था...अब उसे 'सबक' मिल रहा है.. आम फ्रांस के नागरिकों के पास चलने को रास्ता नहीं है.. Video)
The same video is being shared with the same misleading caption on Facebook
Also Read: Old Video Of Azan Recital On The Road Linked To Loudspeaker Ban
FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral video of namaz being offered on the road is from Moscow, Russia and not from Paris, France as being falsely claimed.
We found quote tweets and replies to the viral video which pointed out that the mosque visible in the background is in Moscow, Russia. Further, we also found a quote tweet by Benjamin Strick, a digital investigator, geolocated the mosque as the Moscow Cathedral Mosque in Russia.
Additionally, on cross-checking with photos of Moscow Cathedral Mosque, we were able to match both the structures from photos available on stock photo websites and reports.
A comparison can be seen below
On running a relevant keyword search we found a tweet with the photo of namaz being offered at the same spot in 2013 tweeted by BBC World Correspondent Olga Ivshina, who stated that the image showed people praying in Moscow on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha.
In this photo we can see the same tall building in the background that can be seen in the viral video at the end. A comparison can be seen below.
We also found a news report by Moscow Times on May 3, 2022, regarding hundreds of Muslims gathered at the Russian Cathedral Mosque for prayers to mark Mark Eid al-Fitr, and stating that space is limited, so worshippers often spill out onto the surrounding the streets.
One of the photos in the news report match the location in the viral video.
Photo in Moscow Times news report
BOOM was unable to independently verify when the video was shot or the incident, however we were able to determine that the location is Moscow Cathedral Mosque in Moscow, Russia and not Paris, France.
