Protests Worldwide Condemn Israeli Interception of Gaza Flotilla

AFP/APP

Paris: Protesters around the world on Thursday railed against Israel’s interception of a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza’s besieged Palestinians, urging greater sanctions in response.

From Europe to Australia and South America, demonstrators took to the streets to condemn Israel’s treatment of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona last month to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The United Nations has reported famine conditions in Gaza after nearly two years of war.

According to Israeli officials, 41 ships carrying more than 400 people, including politicians and climate activist Greta Thunberg, were halted by the Israeli navy on Wednesday and barred from reaching the coastal territory.

Protests Across Europe

In Barcelona, around 15,000 people marched in protest, chanting slogans such as “Gaza, you are not alone”, “Boycott Israel”, and “Freedom for Palestine”. Riot police clashed with demonstrators attempting to cross barriers. A boat carrying former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, was among those stopped. Both face deportation from Israel.

In Dublin, several hundred people protested outside the Irish parliament. Miriam McNally, whose daughter was aboard the flotilla, said:

“I am worried sick for my daughter, but I am so proud of her… She is standing up for humanity in the face of grave danger.”

In France, about 1,000 people rallied at Paris’s Place de la Republique. In Marseille, around a hundred pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after attempting to block a weapons manufacturer accused of supplying Israel.

Italy saw widespread demonstrations, with unions calling for a general strike. Police reported 10,000 marchers in Rome, while other protests took place in Milan, Torino, Florence, and Bologna. Demonstrators at the Colosseum shouted: “The genocidal machine must stop immediately.”

In Brussels, nearly 3,000 people gathered outside the European Parliament. Protesters set off smoke bombs and urged the EU to halt financial agreements with Israel.

In Geneva, a large youth-led protest lit a bonfire near the central station before clashing briefly with police on Mont Blanc bridge.

In Athens, demonstrators launched fireworks and flares, denouncing Israel’s actions as a “barbaric escalation.”

Beyond Europe

In Turkey, thousands marched toward the Israeli embassy in Istanbul with banners demanding a “Total embargo on the occupation.”

In Malaysia, dozens gathered in Kuala Lumpur outside the U.S. embassy. Protester Ili Farhan, 43, said:

“They are just bringing in aid and baby food… This arrest is unjust.”

Protests also took place in Berlin, The Hague, Tunis, Brasilia, and Buenos Aires, according to AFP correspondents.