Protesters took to the streets of Paris to express solidarity with Palestine during an Olympic cycling road competition.
As cyclists rode through the 20th arrondissement, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and wore keffiyehs and scarves, symbols of Palestinian nationalism. Many protesters donned t-shirts in the colours of the Palestinian flag and chanted, “Free Palestine.”
The French gendarmerie, attempting to have demonstrators remove their Palestinian flags, monitored the activists throughout the race. Concurrently, hundreds of demonstrators assembled at the Place de la Nation, demanding an end to Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip, which have persisted for nearly 10 months.
The protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners displaying images of children killed in Israeli attacks.
Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza, facing international condemnation. This offensive follows a 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.
Local health authorities report that nearly 39,500 Palestinians have been killed, predominantly women and children, and over 91,000 have been injured.
Almost 10 months into the conflict, Gaza remains devastated, with extensive destruction and a severe blockade on food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which recently ruled that Israel must immediately cease its military operations in the southern city of Rafah. This city had become a refuge for over 1 million Palestinians before it was invaded on 6 May.