Six Arrested After Palestinian Flag Hung on Eiffel Tower in Extinction Rebellion Protest
Climate activists claim responsibility as French authorities investigate security breach at Paris landmark amid ongoing Gaza war tensions…..
French authorities have arrested six individuals after a Palestinian flag was reportedly flown from the Eiffel Tower without authorisation during a protest linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
A police source confirmed the arrests on Saturday, stating that the individuals are suspected of breaching security protocols at the iconic Paris landmark.
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion France said it was behind the action, claiming responsibility for draping a large Palestinian flag from the tower’s first level on Friday afternoon.
The group said the protest was intended as a “message of support” for Palestinians and accused Israel of committing “massacres” in Gaza as well as environmental destruction, including the uprooting of olive trees in Palestinian territories.
The demonstration was timed to coincide with Nakba Day, which marks the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 creation of the state of Israel.
The Eiffel Tower has previously been used as a symbolic backdrop for political messaging related to the conflict. In September, images of both Israeli and Palestinian flags, alongside symbols of peace such as a dove and olive branch, were projected onto the monument ahead of France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
In October 2023, following the Hamas attacks on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, the tower was illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag.
According to official Israeli figures compiled by AFP, the October 2023 Hamas attack killed 1,221 people, most of them civilians.
In response, Israeli military operations in Gaza have since killed more than 72,700 people, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry.
Despite a reported ceasefire announced in October, the situation in Gaza remains volatile, with continued reports of strikes and mutual accusations between Israel and Hamas over violations of the truce.
The latest protest in Paris adds to a series of global demonstrations reflecting growing international divisions over the conflict, which has also drawn in climate activists, human rights groups and political movements across Europe.
