France arrests six for hanging Palestinian flag on Eiffel Tower

French authorities have arrested six people suspected of flying a Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower without official permission, according to a police source.

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The large flag was draped from the tower’s first floor on Friday afternoon. Extinction Rebellion France later claimed responsibility for the action, saying it was intended as a “message of support” for Palestinians.

A representative of the group accused Israel of carrying out “massacres” in Gaza and alleged “ecocide crimes”, including the uprooting of olive trees on Palestinian land. The demonstration was timed to coincide with Nakba Day, which commemorates the displacement of Palestinians during the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

The Eiffel Tower has previously been used as a symbolic site for displays linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In September, the flags of both Israel and Palestine, alongside images of a dove and olive branch representing peace, were projected onto the landmark ahead of France’s recognition of a Palestinian state.

In October 2023, following attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, the tower was illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag. According to official Israeli figures compiled by AFP, Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,221 people, most of them civilians.

Israeli military operations launched in response have killed more than 72,700 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Although a ceasefire was reached in October, violence has continued across Gaza, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the truce.