In recent weeks, millions of people across Europe have exercised their right to peaceful assembly in solidarity with Palestinians. Many of these protests have come in the wake of Israel’s illegal interception and arbitrary detention of activists participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).
The GSF was a historical act of non-violent civic engagement attempting to break Israel’s illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip to deliver essential food, water, and medical supplies, aimed at urging the international community to act immediately as required under international law. This mission galvanised collective mobilisations across Europe and the world. For instance, in Spain, organisers reported that around two million people mobilised across the country, marking the largest popular protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, in Italy, a general strike organised by a united front of trade unions and civil society saw more than two million people gather at more than 100 public squares across the country. These mass mobilisations demonstrate the importance of ensuring that people are able to exercise their right to peaceful protest.
As organisations representing hundreds of associations and NGOs across Europe, we are extremely concerned about the repression of some of these demonstrations. Over the last week, we witnessed unnecessary and undue use of force by law enforcement officers against several peaceful demonstrations. In several states, including Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, there have been reports of police using excessive force against protesters, including the use of tear gas and water cannons, arbitrary detention, and public vilification of those peacefully exercising their rights. For example, during a protest on 2 October in Brussels, police in riot gear harassed peaceful protesters outside the European Parliament and at the Stock Exchange district. Officers used undue and unnecessary physical violence, including kicking and the use of batons, tear gas, and water cannon without prior warning.13 On 7 October in Berlin, police officers were also reported to have used undue and unnecessary force against peaceful protesters. Such responses by the authorities to peaceful protests breach the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (Articles 11 and 12), international human rights standards, and rule of law principles on the rights to freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association. In July 2025, we wrote a letter to the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, to raise our concerns about the restrictions faced by the solidarity movement.15 To date, the Commission has not responded to our concerns or publicly addressed these ongoing and severe violations of the right to protest.