A photograph shared on social media, allegedly depicting a protest by the Congolese population against the occupation of the M23 rebels in Goma, has been found to be misleading. The image, showing a man surrounded by white smoke, reportedly caused by tear gas, was shared by Immaculé Dani on Facebook. However, a reverse image search by Eleza Fact revealed that the photo did not originate from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The reverse image search conducted by Eleza Fact using Google Lens revealed that the photograph actually originated from a protest in Kenya. Several online publications, including Africanews, OurQuadCities, and L'Expression, were found to have published the same image in articles about protests in Kenya in June 2025. These protests were held to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-finance law protests, which resulted in at least 60 deaths.
The protests in Kenya were marked by clashes between police and protesters, with the police using tear gas to disperse the crowds. The routes leading to the parliament and presidency were barricaded, and at least eight Kenyans were reported to have died during the protests. The presence of the same photograph in multiple publications confirms that it was taken during the Kenyan protests.
The misattribution of the image to the DRC highlights the risks of spreading misinformation online, particularly in the context of security crises. The situation in eastern DRC has been tense, with several regions under occupation by the M23 rebels since January 2025. The spread of false information can exacerbate the already dire humanitarian and economic situation.
The verification conducted by Eleza Fact underscores the importance of fact-checking and verifying the origin, date, and context of images before sharing them online. This can help prevent the dissemination of misleading information to the public. In this case, the image was found to have been taken in a completely different context, highlighting the need for caution when sharing information online.
The image has been shared by several international media outlets, including France24 and NBC News, all of which have associated it with the Kenyan protests. The consistency of the information across multiple sources confirms that the image did not originate from the DRC.
In conclusion, the image circulating online, purportedly showing a protest against M23 rebels in Goma, is actually from a Kenyan protest in June 2025. The verification conducted by Eleza Fact highlights the importance of fact-checking and verifying information online to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Key points
- The image was taken during a protest in Kenya in June 2025, commemorating the first anniversary of the anti-finance law protests.
- The protests in Kenya were marked by clashes between police and protesters, with at least eight people reported dead.
- The misattribution of the image to the DRC highlights the risks of spreading misinformation online, particularly in the context of security crises.
