New Report Reveals State led Censorship and Suppression of Palestine Solidarity Across Europe

London - CAGE International has published a briefing report today, titled ‘European Policy Briefing: Special Edition on Palestine’. The briefing reveals systematic censorship and repression of solidarity for Palestine by major European governments. The report analyses state policies from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK in relation to Israel’s brutal attack on Gaza.

From Vienna to London, European governments have adopted a unified stance in response to the genocidal bombardment of Gaza by Israel. This involves the condemnation of the Palestinian people's right to resistance and self-determination and the unequivocal support for Israel. As a result there is active repression of support and solidarity movements for Palestine.

The report highlights how:

1. Similar anti-Palestinian policies are implemented throughout Europe, usually exploiting anti-terrorism policies, including ban on protests, criminalisation of the Palestinian flag, criminalisation of the phrase “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free”.
2. European States have shown unconditional support for Israel and refuse to condemn the Palestinian genocide in Gaza.
3. Widespread repression has resulted in:  
   1. On 28 October at the Paris demonstration, authorities fined 1359 Pro Palestine protesters.
   2. A 455% increase since in the caseload of CAGE International compared to the previous upsurge of Palestine repression documented in our 2021 report.
   3. In Austria, there has been 400 administrative reports, 10 arrests, and 13 protests were prohibited according to official numbers, all in relation to pro Palestine activism.

European governments are associating pro-Palestine activism with support for terrorism. This is reflected in the decisions undertaken by the French and German government to ban pro-Palestine demonstrations. Although this ban continues to be enforced in Germany, it was overturned in France by the Supreme Court following a major backlash.

Similar policies have been pursued in Austria, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands where pro-Palestine activism is censored. Right wing parties are using the issue to attack immigration, threatening the already vulnerable lives of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Despite these concerning trends, political, diplomatic, and military backing for Israel persists among these European states, further fueling the mass murder of innocent Palestinian lives.

Muhammad Rabbani, Managing Director of CAGE International, said:

“Across Europe, a discernible pattern of systematic repression is emerging. Governments have been actively seeking to curb public solidarity with Palestine. This effort has manifested in numerous arrests, prosecutions, and even the outright banning of legitimate civil society organisations. Overall, it appears these policies of intimidation have failed to achieve their intended goal. Public outcry against Israeli actions and sympathy for the Palestinian cause are now at unprecedented levels.”