"Bloody River Will Flow in Paris" Chilling Terror Threat Video Spreads on SNS [Paris Olympics]

Rapid Spread on SNS Fuels Olympic Terror Fear
France Claims "Video is Manipulated, Specific Country Involved"

As a 'mysterious' video threatening to attack Paris during the 2024 Paris Olympics rapidly spread through social networking services (SNS), the French government began searching for those behind it. In particular, the man wearing a mask in the video had a Palestinian flag badge on his chest, leading to suspicions that Hamas produced it, but this was found to be untrue.

Among experts, the dominant view is that this video is likely a 'fake video' created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. French authorities also directly acknowledged that the video was fabricated, and Hamas denied any involvement. Analyzing the distribution process of the video, it is believed to have originated from Russia.

A man wearing a Palestinian flag badge is warning that he will carry out a terrorist attack in Paris, France, the host city of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
[Photo by X]

Since the 19th (local time), videos predicting a terror attack at the Paris Olympics have been spreading on SNS platforms such as X and Telegram. The video features a man wearing what appears to be a black bulletproof vest with a Palestinian flag badge and a kaffiyeh (a traditional Arab headscarf) wrapped around his head like a mask. This man targeted French President Emmanuel Macron, saying in Arabic, "You supported the Zionist regime in the war of crimes against the Palestinian people, provided them with weapons, and helped them kill our brothers, sisters, and children."

He continued, "You invited the Zionists to the Olympics. You will pay the price for what you have done." Finally, he said, "Rivers of blood will flow in the streets of Paris," adding, "That day is approaching." The video even includes English subtitles. It ends with the man lifting the severed head of a woman. However, this woman is presumed to be a fake symbolizing Marianne, the spirit of the French Revolution, rather than an actual mutilated corpse.

The account that originally posted this video is currently inaccessible, but recorded copies are still being shared online. During the spread of this video, claims arose that Hamas produced it, based on the man wearing a Palestinian flag badge on his chest and speaking in Arabic. Because of this, the video was sometimes described as a 'threatening video from Hamas' during its distribution.

French Government: "Fake Video Created Using AI Technology"

As the video spread online ahead of the Olympic opening, the French government quickly moved to contain the situation. On the 25th, the French daily Le Figaro reported, based on analyses by experts dealing with fake news, that the head of Marianne lifted at the end was created by AI. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal also stated in a media interview that day, "Initial investigations revealed that this video was fabricated," adding, "At this stage, we cannot definitively say it was the act of a specific country, but it is clear that it was a state-level intervention." He continued, "There have been 25 confirmed attempts to destabilize through information manipulation in just the past few months," and pledged to thoroughly guard against cyberattacks during the Olympics.

In addition to the controversy surrounding the video, Paris is currently on high alert due to concerns about potential terrorist attacks during the Olympic period. The French government plans to deploy approximately 45,000 police officers, 10,000 soldiers, and 20,000 private security personnel in the city during the Olympics to preemptively address any safety concerns.
[Photo by EPA·Yonhap News]

Former Interior Minister G?rald Darmanin also said the previous day, based on an investigation by the Domestic Security Directorate (DGSI), that the video was not created by Hamas. The pro-Palestinian media outlet Quds News also denied that Hamas was directly involved in producing the video. Among experts, there is a strong analysis that the video was likely produced by Russian sources. Jean-Charles Brisard, head of a terror analysis center, told Le Figaro, "The propagation path of the video provides clues about its origin," adding, "This video is mainly spreading through Telegram and X accounts known to be pro-Russian or involved in other destabilization operations."

Meanwhile, aside from the controversy surrounding this video, Paris is currently on high alert due to concerns about potential terror attacks during the Olympics. The French government plans to deploy approximately 45,000 police officers, 10,000 soldiers, and 20,000 private security personnel in the city during the Olympic period to preemptively eliminate any safety concerns.