Silencing Justice: Restrictions on Palestinian Support in Europe.
European countries have been the scene of protests and expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians in the past year by people and human rights defenders; countries whose leaders outwardly condemn the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza, but behind the scenes supply the regime with weapons.
In various European countries, including Italy, France, England, and Germany, numerous demonstrations in support of the Palestinians in Gaza have been met with arrests, accusations of supporting terrorism, the suspension of funding, etc.
In the most recent case, Italian police claimed to have arrested seven people on charges of providing millions of euros to the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
In a statement related to the case, Italian police claimed that the nine people, for whom they said arrest warrants had been issued for two others outside Italy, are accused of transferring approximately seven million euros (equivalent to eight million dollars) to associations based in Gaza and territories belonging to and controlled by Hamas.
Police claimed that more than 71 percent of the money was directly used to finance Hamas or its affiliates.
Amnesty International Criticizes France’s Approach
Human rights group Amnesty International previously announced that France had lifted restrictions on demonstrations and events in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
The Anadolu Agency reported, citing a statement from the local branch of Amnesty International, that restrictions in France on public demonstrations of solidarity with the Palestinians, demonstrations and events [in support of the people of Gaza] had been lifted, and that individuals were facing charges of spreading “terrorist propaganda.”
One of the cases cited by Amnesty International was the ban on a pro-Palestinian rally planned earlier this month by the Free Palestine Association in the French city of Lille.