By: Rajini KG
February 1 2024
No, video does not show farmers protesting in Texas amid border standoff
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Screenshot of the social media posts. (Source: X/Facebook/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The video shows farmers protesting in Forchtenberg against the German government's plans to cut farm subsidies. It is unrelated to Texas border row.
Claim ID be041beb
What is the claim?
Since January 22, there has been a standoff between the Texas administration and the U.S. government over a border fence at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. Located on the U.S.-Mexico border, this area regularly experiences an influx of undocumented migrants. The conflict escalated after the Supreme Court permitted the removal of a wire fence at the border, yet Texas has prevented federal authorities from accessing the park. This standoff has led several right-wing groups to plan a 'convoy' to the border to protest against migration and what they describe as a 'border invasion.'
Recently, a video showing tractors lined up along a hillside was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), purporting to depict American farmers in Texas assembling to block migrant entry from the border. Archived versions of these posts can be accessed here and here.
Screenshot of the viral social media posts. (Source: X/Facebook/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)
However, this claim is inaccurate. The video actually shows a protest in Germany, not Texas.
How we debunked the claim
A reverse image search led us to the X account of Silvano Trotta, a French videographer, who originally posted the video on January 19, 2024. He clarified that the footage was from Forchtenberg, Germany.
Further research into farmer protests in Forchtenberg directed us to a YouTube channel named 'SchoentalTV,' which uploaded an extended version of the video on January 15, 2024. The video, showing tractors arranged along hilly roads, was accompanied by a description stating that approximately 500 farmers had gathered in Forchtenberg's vineyards on January 14, 2024, to protest against government policies.
Another video, taken from a different angle, was posted by a vlogger and journalist, Ignaz Bearth, on his X account, explicitly mentioning Forchtenberg as the location. A signboard is visible in the video at the 0:01-second mark.
Comparison of Ignaz Bearth's video and viral video. (Source: X/Screenshot)
According to Tagesschau, a German television news program, the Berlin government announced reductions in subsidies for agricultural diesel and increased taxes for diesel and farming vehicles as part of its 2024 budget savings plans. In response, farmers across Germany staged protests against these policies, calling for their reversal.
Logically Facts utilized GeoSpy AI, an AI mapping tool, to analyze a screenshot from the viral video, pinpointing the location to Germany. We also geolocated the area visible in the video on Google Maps, identifying it as approximately Büschelhofer Str., 74670 Forchtenberg, Germany.
Since the onset of the border standoff, Logically Facts has been tracking misinformation, publishing multiple fact-checks about old visuals being misrepresented as recent (read here and here). For more information on the standoff and the current situation in the U.S., read our detailed article here.
The verdict
A video of German farmers protesting against the government's plans to remove agricultural benefits has been falsely represented as originating from Texas. It is unrelated to the ongoing border standoff between Texas and the U.S. government. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.