Mass protests erupted across Europe on Thursday after Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of aid vessels bound for Gaza, sparking widespread calls for tougher European sanctions against Tel Aviv.
The flotilla, which set sail from Barcelona last month, carried more than 400 passengers aboard 41 ships, including politicians, activists, and climate campaigner Greta Thunberg aiming to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The United Nations has warned that famine conditions are worsening in the enclave after nearly two years of the Israel-Hamas war.
An Israeli official confirmed Thursday that the navy intercepted the ships and prevented them from reaching the Palestinian territory. Among those stopped was a boat carrying former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela. Both now face deportation by Israel.
In Spain, the reaction was immediate and fierce. Police said around 15,000 people marched through Barcelona chanting, “Gaza, you are not alone,” “Boycott Israel,” and “Freedom for Palestine.” Tensions flared when riot police clashed with demonstrators trying to breach security barriers. In Madrid, some 10,000 joined a solidarity rally, with similar protests held in Bilbao, Seville, and Valencia.
In France, around 1,000 people gathered at Paris’s Place de la République, while in Marseille, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after attempting to block access to the offices of weapons manufacturer Eurolinks, accused of supplying parts to Israel’s military.
Italy also saw massive mobilization, with unions calling a general strike for Friday. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets, chanting, “We are prepared to block everything. The genocidal machine must stop immediately.”
Veteran activist Gianfranco Pagliarulo, 76, told AFP he was outraged at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s handling of the crisis. “Instead of defending the victims, the government is defending the aggressors, and it’s absolutely intolerable,” he said. Although Italy had dispatched a naval frigate to monitor the flotilla, it did not escort the aid ships beyond Israel’s declared blockade, after Meloni urged the activists to turn back.
In Brussels, about 3,000 protesters rallied outside the European Parliament, waving banners that read “Break the siege.”Smoke bombs and fireworks lit up the crowd as demonstrators accused the EU of bankrolling Israel. One protester, who gave her name as Isis, told AFPTV: “The message is that each boat must be protected. The European Union must stop the astronomical sums of money sent to Israel.”
In Switzerland, a similarly sized crowd gathered in Geneva, where young protesters lit a bonfire near the city’s central station before marching to the Mont Blanc bridge. They were met with riot police who dispersed the crowd after brief clashes.
Solidarity rallies also spread beyond Europe. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, dozens gathered outside the U.S. embassy to denounce Israel’s blockade. “We are very upset… Upset, angry, disgusted because what they are doing is for humanity,”said Ili Farhan, 43. “They are just bringing in aid and baby food… this arrest is unjust.”
