11.06.2025 10:20
The Israeli army's attack on the Madleen ship and the deportation of 12 activists to Ben Gurion Airport were protested in France with demonstrations attended by tens of thousands of people. In Paris, around 50,000 people participated in the protest, expressing their reaction to Israel's detention of volunteers on the Madleen ship with slogans.
A demonstration was held in Paris, the capital of France, calling for the release of volunteers on the Madleen ship, which was detained by Israel while transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters.
CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF ACTIVISTS
Protesters gathered at Republic Square in Paris starting at 18:00 local time, reacting to Israel's detention of volunteers on the Madleen ship. Demonstrators, who participated in the action with Palestinian flags and keffiyehs on their shoulders, demanded the Tel Aviv government to immediately release the Madleen ship activists, including Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament (EP).
"WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GAZA"
During the demonstration, which was also attended by far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) members of parliament, slogans such as "Free Palestine," "We are the children of Gaza, we are the children of Palestine," and "Rima, Paris is with you" were chanted. One person participated in the protest representing "peace" with an olive branch, while another demonstrator held a placard that read, "How many children need to die for the EU to impose sanctions on Israel?" The demonstration called for the removal of obstacles to humanitarian aid to Gaza and for a ceasefire in the region. Israel announced that it would deport 4 of the 12 human rights activists on the detained Madleen ship, including Greta Thunberg, while the 8 activists who refused this would be brought to court.
ISRAEL INTERVENED WITH THE MADLEEN SHIP
As part of the last mission organized by the civil society organization "Freedom Flotilla Coalition" to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver aid to the region, the 18-meter ship set sail for Gaza from the San Giovanni Li Cuti Port in Catania, Italy, on June 1.
The activists on the Madleen ship had announced that they would maintain their peaceful stance and would not resist if the Israeli army intervened. The Israeli army intervened yesterday with the Madleen ship, which aimed to break the blockade on Gaza, and detained those on board. Among those on the ship were Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, Yasemin Acar, a German citizen, as well as Hüseyin Şuayb Ordu from Turkey, Thiago Avila from Brazil, Sergio Toribio from Spain, Marco van Rennes from the Netherlands, Baptiste Andre, Reva Viard, Pascal Maurieras, and Yanis Mhamdi from France, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, and journalist Omar Faiad.