Where have protests in support of Palestinian rights been banned?
But tensions were particularly heated in France and Germany, home to the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in the European Union. In Berlin—which is also home to one of the largest diaspora communities outside the Middle East with an estimated 30,000 Palestinians—the police ramped up security and cracked down on pro-Palestinian groups with full force. Many Palestinians told reporters they felt fearful of being labeled pro-Hamas for speaking out against Israel.
The demonstrations prompted both countries to impose a nationwide, blanket ban on protests in support of Palestine altogether. In France, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wrote that “pro-Palestinian demonstrations must be prohibited because they are likely to generate disturbances to the public order.”
Along with banning protests, Berlin’s education authorities have also considered banning students from wearing the Palestinian Keffiyeh scarf and “free Palestine” stickers. Since the initial ban, Berlin police have approved two requests for pro-Palestine protests, both proposed as silent vigils.
In the U.K., a new law introduced by the Conservative government in April 2022 has been met with criticism from civil liberties groups, who say it is too restrictive on protests and infringes the right to freedom of expression. Last week, Home Secretary Suella Braverman told senior police officers that waving a Palestinian flag or chanting specific phrases for Palestine, such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” may be a criminal offense.
Other countries like Hungary and Austria have also blocked pro-Palestine protests since Oct 7.