The Facebook account of Mano Beridze, whose pieces of disinformation have been verified by FactCheck multiple times in the past (1,2,3), published a piece of footage of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron. The publication’s description says:  “What’s the matter? Why are you shy? Why are you wretchedly twiddling those fingers? Boldly, boldly! We already know who you are.” There has been a conspiracy theory about that this piece of footage for several years already that ostensibly depicts Emmanuel Macron showing the Masonic symbol with his hand gesture. In fact, both Mr Macron and members of the Olympic Games Committee were gesturing the Eiffel Tower which was used as a symbol of Paris – a candidate to host the 2024 Olympic games. 

The Italian fact-checking organisation, Open.online, also produced an article in regard to the associations between Emmanuel Macron’s gesture and the Masonic symbol. The organisation found out that the video was published as early as in 2017 when the International Olympic Committee visited Paris in order to decide which city would be awarded the right to host the 2024 Olympic Games. Emmanuel Macron, together with other members of the committee, gestured the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of Paris as a candidate city – to celebrate victory of Paris. 

The French President’s gesture is wrongly identified with the so-called “Free Masons” symbol which is referred to as the “square and compasses” (see the photograph).

Therefore, Emmanuel Macron’s gesture in the footage shows the symbol of Paris and not a Masonic symbol. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This article was produced as part of Facebook’s Fact-checking Programme. Given the rating, Facebook may impose different restrictions – click here for full information. For information on issuing a correction or to dispute a rating, please see here.