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Fact Check
Viral clip shows a protester in Nepal catching a tear-gas canister mid-air and throwing it away.
Viral video does not show the current protests in Nepal. It is an old video from Pakistan, recorded in 2022.
A dramatic 14-second video of a protester catching a tear-gas shell with bare hands is making the rounds on social media, with users claiming it captures scenes from the recent violent unrest in Nepal. The clip has gone viral amid reports of curfews and military deployment in Kathmandu. However, Newschecker found that the footage is from Pakistan and not Nepal.
The post can be viewed here (archived here).
Newschecker conducted a reverse search of keyframes from the viral clip. The video was also uploaded online on July 1, 2025, well before the Nepal protests that began on September 8, 2025.
A clearer version of the same video was published by multiple outlets in May 2022.
In a clearer upload shared on May 25, 2022, a “Total PARCO” signboard is visible next to a fuel station. Total PARCO fuel stations are operated exclusively in Pakistan under a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Pak-Arab Refinery Limited, which confirms the location in the viral video as Pakistan, and not Nepal.
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The viral clip of a protester catching a tear-gas shell is misattributed. It is not from the recent protests in Nepal but from a 2022 protest in Pakistan.
Q1. Does the viral video show the recent Nepal protests?
No. The video is from Pakistan in 2022, not from the current unrest in Nepal.
Q2. How can we confirm the video is from Pakistan?
The clip shows a “Total PARCO” fuel station, which operates only in Pakistan. Media reports from 2022 also confirm the same.
Q3. Why do old videos often resurface during new events?
Old footage is frequently shared out of context to amplify narratives, mislead audiences, or gain attention on social media.
Sources
ProPakistani report, dated May 25, 2022
Gulf Today post, Facebook, May 26, 2022
False
Newschecker Team
September 13, 2025
Kushel Madhusoodan
September 12, 2025
Vasudha Beri
September 11, 2025
