‘White powder': Internet erupts over Macron, Starmer video
A video of French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sparked a social media firestorm with wild allegations that it showed the trio with 'white powder'.
The video, captured while Mr Macron, Sir Starmer and Mr Merz were on a train following talks in Ukraine, shows the French President reach for a white object on the table as media enter the carriage.
The white object is swiftly taken from the table and concealed out of sight in Mr Macron's right hand, before he subtly moves it to his left hand which he then keeps under the table.
The video also shows another small straight object on the table, which is moved underneath a manila folder.
Despite there being no evidence, social media has blown up with theories speculating that the items swept out of sight were illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia.
The Nightly does not imply any wrongdoing or the presence of any illicit substances.
Dr Simon Goddek posted a video of the leaders on X, writing: 'Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught on video on their return from Kiev.'
'A bag of white powder on the table. Macron quickly pockets it, Merz hides the spoon,' he alleged.
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French media labelled the online speculation 'conspiracy theories', quickly attempting to set the record straight.
'High-quality photographs and videos, such as those taken by the AFP or AP news agencies, show that the mysterious bag of white powder is actually a handkerchief rolled into a ball that was placed on the table,' Libération wrote online.
'These conspiracy accusations fit with the narrative that Western elites are depraved and approach war unconsciously.'
As for the straight object that some online users speculated was a spoon, reports suggest it could have been a tooth pick or a drink stirrer. A zoomed in view of a photo captured aboard the train. Credit: Getty
Despite the French publication's clarification on the object, and images showing a tissue, many online appear to be enjoying the speculation.
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The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent. Hong Kong authorities have once again arrested pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. 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