Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations Continue in France and Across Europe
Despite being banned in France, some pro-Palestinian demonstrations manage to form within the country. Similar gatherings are also emerging in other European countries such as England and Switzerland. In Geneva, around 6,000 people took to the streets behind the banner “Free Palestine”. Since last Saturday, the focus has primarily been on the Israelis killed or captured during the Hamas surprise attack in Israel. However, the Israeli response and the situation in Gaza have led to numerous pro-Palestinian supporters taking to the streets.
Signs in Geneva read “What you call self-defense is actually genocide”, alongside messages demanding an end to apartheid, calling for a boycott of Israel, and pleading to save the children of Gaza. Further to the west, thousands of protestors have defied the ban. On Thursday evening, approximately 3,000 people marched in Paris before being dispersed by tear gas.
Although prohibited by a decree from Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez on Friday, October 13, a pro-Palestinian gathering was once again held on Saturday afternoon at Place de la République from 3 pm to 5 pm. The static demonstration was organized “in support of the resistance of the Palestinian people”. The police arrested 19 individuals, including the organizer, and issued 752 fines to participants. As of 5:30 pm, the prefecture of police reported that the demonstration had been dispersed, but the fine operations were ongoing.
Demonstrations allowed in London and Copenhagen
In order for these French gatherings to become legal, an appeal was filed on Saturday with the Council of State. It requests the suspension of the ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations ordered by the Minister of the Interior on Thursday. “A general and absolute prohibition completely disregards several public liberties, including the right to demonstrate. It is part of a context of politicizing public order, where the state should guarantee all expressions of solidarity,” said Maître Vincent Brengarth, one of the lawyers representing the association Comité Action Palestine.
In London, protestors were allowed to march. However, the police were on high alert with over 1,000 officers deployed and had warned that they would arrest anyone expressing support for Hamas. Thousands of pro-Palestinians gathered in the British capital, while other cities in the United Kingdom also witnessed rallies, including Manchester and Edinburgh.
“They are experiencing a catastrophe,” denounced 22-year-old student Belal Stitan, whose relatives are suffering from the blockade in Gaza. “No food, no water. I speak with them, I hear their voices, their dry mouths, their hope gradually fading away.” The organizer of the London protest, Ben Jamal, sought to send a message to the British political class, which he accused of giving Israel the green light to commit war crimes, according to the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
The red, black, white, and green flags were also on display in Copenhagen. According to a Voxmeter survey published by the Ritzau news agency, 20% of Danes believe that Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against Israel, for example, with an attack similar to the one carried out by Hamas last Saturday. While 41% disagree with this statement, nearly a thousand demonstrators marched towards Copenhagen’s City Hall Square.
Police surveillance was also intense there. Signs read “A genocide is happening”. The conflict in the Middle East continues to divide opinions in Europe and around the world.
