Disinfo: French police showed solidarity with the "yellow vests" protesters

Summary

Two dozen policemen removed their helmets in front of “yellow vests” protesters in France, showing solidarity with them.

Disproof

According to French media, the gesture of policemen responded to a "negotiation" with the "yellow vest" protesters, it was not a sign of solidarity. The case was reported by Bloomberg, which underlined that the information about the police supporting the Yellow Vests protesters was coming from Mr Alexander Langlois, representative of the Vigi police union. The union is representing less than 4% of the unions in France and as such, cannot speak for all of them. Further debunking by AFP.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 129
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 04/12/2018
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: France
  • Keywords: yellow vests, Protest
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Disinfo: EU countries adopting sanctions in order to keep the unity

In the context of Brexit and rise of right-wing parties, EU countries are adopting sanctions in order to keep the unity. Europe needs an external enemy and uses Russia for this role. Europe does not care about the Kerch confrontation, it needs to promote Berlin’s and Paris’ agenda for EU integration.

Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about sanctions and Russophobia. Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures against Russia. The measures were adopted in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine.

On 25 November 2018 border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and their crews after shooting at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen. Russia argued that they were in Russian waters. However a bilateral treaty between Russia and Ukraine, signed in 2003 and ratified by Russia in 2004, governs the use of the Kerch strait and the Sea of Azov, which in the treaty is considered to be the “internal waters” of both Russia and Ukraine.