Amnesty EU urges France to stop 'repressing' Palestine solidarity protests

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – France must stop repressing “spontaneous” pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the country, the Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office has said.

“French authorities must abandon repressive reactions to spontaneous Palestine solidarity assemblies,” the NGO said on X late Wednesday. “All peaceful protests are protected under international human rights law & must be facilitated by the authorities, even if they have not been formally notified in advance."

It argued that since Israel’s assault on Rafah on May 6, spontaneous assemblies and marches have taken place throughout France to express concern and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

“Over the past week such protests were pre-emptively banned in Paris, Lyon and in Alençon,” the statement said.

Amnesty said banning protests is a "serious interference with our human rights and can only be justified as a last resort and after all alternative options have been exhausted to enable people to assemble peacefully."

The rights group stressed that the display of flags, symbols or banners is a legitimate form of expression protected by the right to freedom of expression, and that can only be restricted in "limited and exceptional circumstances."

It urged the French authorities to "respect, protect and facilitate" and not "curtail" the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Besides killing more than 36,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas incursion that claimed 1,200 lives, the Israeli military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.

Protests across major cities in Europe have continued for months, demanding an end to the conflict continuing for almost eight months.