French authorities have arrested six people accused of unfurling a large Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower without authorization, in an incident that quickly drew political and diplomatic attention.
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion France claimed responsibility, saying the action carried out on Friday afternoon from the tower’s first floor was intended as a symbolic message of solidarity with Palestinians.
The group accused Israel of committing “massacres” in Gaza and “ecocide crimes,” including the destruction of olive trees on Palestinian land. Key terms such as Eiffel Tower protest and Extinction Rebellion France may be useful for deeper follow‑up.
The demonstration was timed to coincide with Nakba Day, which marks the displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948. A police source confirmed that the individuals involved were taken into custody shortly after the banner drop.
The Eiffel Tower has been used for symbolic gestures before. Last September, ahead of France’s recognition of the Palestinian state, the monument was illuminated with the flags of both Israel and Palestine, along with peace symbols such as a dove and olive branch.
The backdrop to Friday’s protest is the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which the Gaza health ministry says has killed more than 72,700 people, most of them civilians. Despite an October ceasefire agreement, violence continues daily, with both the Israeli military and Hamas accusing each other of violating the truce.
The arrests are expected to spark further debate in France, where tensions around the Middle East conflict have increasingly spilled into public demonstrations and political discourse.
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