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TikToker Dances as Fortnite's Midas at Paris Protests, Video Goes Viral
French TikToker "Bisoù" danced in costume in front of burning scooters in Paris. His TikTok following has more than doubled since.
By Marcel
Automatically translated from German · may contain errors · Read the original
A French TikToker has reached an audience of millions with a dance video from the October 17 protests in Paris. In it, the comedy and dance creator "Bisoù" appears as Midas, a character from the online game Fortnite, dancing in front of burning bicycles and e-scooters.
Dancing amid smoke and flames
The roughly 60-second video shows the TikToker in the costume of the game character Midas: white shirt, black vest with a tie, glasses and golden gloves. He dances and poses amid smoke, flames and crowds, and a French flag is visible at times.
The words "MIDAS IN MANIFESTATION" (French for demonstration) and "VIVE LA FRANCE" are superimposed on the footage. The street scenes and signs pointing to the Métro suggest the setting is near the rallies in Paris, though the exact street is not known. The TikTok news account France24info described a curious scene on October 20: Midas had reportedly been spotted with a French flag in the middle of the Paris demonstration.
Hundreds of thousands of new followers
The video spread first on TikTok, then on the platform X. One post there drew more than a million views, and its author called the TikToker an "absolute legend."
Reactions are mixed: Many celebrate the clip as a meme, while others criticize the TikToker for dancing in the middle of riots. Compilations and reaction videos are now circulating. A small crypto token called "BOGE" has even sprung up around the clip.
For "Bisoù," who also performs as "Golden Neuille," his reach has grown by leaps and bounds. His TikTok account @bisouboge had around 270,000 followers before the clip; within a few days it had more than 600,000, according to the analytics platform Social Blade. Until then, he was known for absurd, meme-heavy comedy and dance videos with a comparatively small reach. He is also active under the same name on Instagram, YouTube and Twitch.
Nationwide day of protest against high cost of living
Showing the post loads it from Instagram, which transfers data to Instagram.
October 17 was a nationwide day of action in France against the high cost of living, rising fuel prices and poor public services. The Interior Ministry counted around 550,000 participants, while organizers spoke of up to 800,000. Tens of thousands took to the streets in Paris, with the focus on the Place de la République.
Mobilization took place mainly via TikTok, including by accounts such as "V2," which launched in September. Posts under relevant hashtags drew hundreds of millions of views. Students, labor unions and other groups took part, and elements of the Yellow Vest movement also revived.
Many demonstrations were peaceful. In Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, however, there was serious rioting, looting and arson: cars, bicycles and shops went up in flames. Hundreds to more than 1,000 people, police officers and demonstrators alike, were injured, and several thousand were arrested.
