Photo from 2016 French protest used to depict Kenya's anti-tax demonstrations in 2024
IN SHORT: A photo of a protester hitting a tear gas canister with a tennis racket is not from Kenya. It was taken at a demonstration in Nantes, France, in 2016.
Kenyans have protested against a new law that would raise taxes, fearing it will worsen the cost of living.
In response, the government scrapped some of the proposed taxes, but protesters are calling for the complete withdrawal of the 2024 Finance Bill.
Groups of young Kenyans took to the streets in demonstrations on 18 June. Kenyan police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. They have been criticised for targeting peaceful protesters.
In this context, a photo of a person dressed in black preparing to bat back a tear gas canister with a tennis racket has been shared on Twitter and Facebook with the claim that it shows a protester in Kenya during the 18 June protest.
"This guy in Kenya is playing tennis with teargas canisters thrown at him by police officers in the current ongoing protests in Kenya in Nairobi," reads the post accompanying the photo.
Another X user posted the photo with the text that reads: "Gen Z Captain returning a teargas canister back to the sender! When it rains, it pours #RejectFinanceBill2024."
Together, the posts have received over 650,000 views, 4,000 reposts and more than 15,000 likes. A sample of some of the comments suggests that many believe the tweet to be accurate.
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Similar claims have been made on Facebook here, here, here, here, here and here. But does the widely circulated photo show a protest in Kenya?
Photo from 2016 France protest
A Google reverse image search of the photo led us to a gallery published by Reuters in 2016 with the headline: "France revolts against labor reform."
The photo has a caption that reads: "A protestor uses a tennis racket to return a tear gas canister during a demonstration to protest the government's proposed labor law reforms in Nantes.REUTERS/Stephane Mahe."
A similar photo of the demonstrator with a tennis racket was published on the AFP forum website on 2 June 2016.
The claim that the photo shows a demonstrator at the 18 June protest in Kenya is false. The photo was taken at a demonstration in France in 2016 against the government's planned labour law reforms.
