From London to Berlin: Europe’s harsh repression fails to silence Gaza solidarity

The Palestinian-European Information Center (EPAL) announced that since the beginning of the Zionist regime’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, 42,000 demonstrations and events in support of the Palestinian cause have been held across Europe.

According to EPAL, these events have taken place in more than 700 cities across 20 European countries, with participation from various European nationalities, including political parties, politicians, and members of parliament who have strongly condemned the genocide and mass killings carried out by the Zionist regime.

The report noted that these activities have had a significant impact on European society, leading to the cultural and educational isolation of the Zionist regime.

These demonstrations have also raised awareness about the Palestinian cause and increased support for it—at the expense of undermining the regime’s long-standing narrative.

A board member of EPAL explained that the center uses various mechanisms to document these activities, relying on the work of journalists, collaborators, and volunteers based in cities across Europe.

Importantly, the 42,000 protests and events have continued despite heavy state crackdowns in European countries.

The pattern of repression against pro-Palestine activists in Europe

The Police Project reported that a month after the start of the Gaza genocide, the London Metropolitan Police issued a public appeal asking pro-Palestinian organizations to postpone any demonstrations.

The police commissioner rejected government requests to outright ban the protests, stating that there was no evidence they posed a threat or broke any laws. Nevertheless, police urged the public not to attend.

Shortly afterward, Declassified UK revealed that senior London police officers, including the commissioner, had long accepted invitations and gifts from a Zionist institution closely linked to the British government, intelligence services, and military.

In January 2025, the UK government even invited Oded Basiuk, a senior Zionist military commander who heads operations for the regime’s armed forces, to take part in official meetings with the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office, and the Cabinet Office.

In Germany, the Interior Ministry announced in September 2024 that individuals using the pro-Palestine slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” could face revocation of citizenship.

This came just months after Germany had passed a new citizenship law easing the naturalization process and allowing dual nationality. The “slogan condition” emerged within this legal framework, seemingly aimed at targeting solidarity with Gaza.

In August 2024, a German court even fined a woman €600 for chanting the slogan, ruling that it was not protected by free speech because it “denies the right of the Zionist regime to exist.” Another trial scheduled for that month was postponed at the last minute.

One activist facing trial said: “Police are using extreme charges to justify brutal violence against protesters.” Over the past few months, dozens have been beaten unconscious by police, suffering severe injuries that required hospitalization. Some were raided at home merely for saying “From the river to the sea.”

In Italy, two demonstrations condemning the Gaza genocide were met with disproportionate riot police violence in Pisa and Florence in February 2024.

Media reports and videos showed police attacking protesters as they tried to march toward the main squares in both cities. Children were among those injured. Following public outrage, Italian President Sergio Mattarella issued an unprecedented statement criticizing the police, saying: “Using batons against young people is a sign of failure.” Yet police repression of anti-genocide protesters in Italy has continued.

These incidents are neither rare nor isolated; they represent part of a disturbing pattern of repression against pro-Palestinian activism that has become increasingly visible across Europe in recent years.

The pattern includes police crackdowns, legal restrictions, and the excessive use of force against peaceful protests—all of which underscore how European governments are aligning themselves with the Zionist regime’s policies.

In Germany, the UK, and Italy—as in other European states—government responses to pro-Palestine activities have been marked by securitization of protests and the use of laws such as counterterrorism legislation against demonstrators.