A video of a person shooting fireworks out of a machine gun-type device while standing against a water cannon has gone with the claim that it is from Syria.
A social media user shared the video and wrote, “This is not Gaza or Lebanon but Syria.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)
Similar posts can be seen here.
SouthCheck found that the claim was false. The viral video is from Georgia.
On a Google reverse image search, we found the same video uploaded by an X account on December 1, 2024, with a caption suggesting that the viral video shows protesters in Tbilisi – the capital of the country of Georgia – shooting fireworks at the police in response to their water cannons.
Taking the hint, we searched with appropriate keywords and found the same video uploaded by The Sun on December 1, 2024. The report stated that protestors started shooting fireworks at the police during a protest outside Georgia’s Parliament to show their discontentment against the government’s decision to delay European Union membership.
We further found that the incident was also reported by the BBC. The report stated that the protesters in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, took to the streets for a fourth consecutive night after the ruling party, Georgian Dream, stalled the country’s bid to join the European Union. Demonstrators clashed with riot police outside Parliament, launching fireworks as officers responded with water cannons.
The video was also shared by Firstpost with similar details.
Hence, we conclude that the viral video is from Georgia, not Syria.
