Across Europe, tens of thousands poured into the streets this weekend, their chants and banners echoing a singular demand: an immediate end to the war in Gaza and the release of activists detained from the intercepted Global Sumud flotilla. The sheer scale of the demonstrations, from Rome to Barcelona and beyond, underscored the growing outrage over Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza and the humanitarian crisis unfolding within the territory.
According to AFP, Rome witnessed an extraordinary turnout on October 4, 2025, with police estimating around 250,000 protesters—marking the fourth consecutive day of mass mobilization in the Italian capital. The crowd included families, youth groups, and people from all walks of life, many waving Palestinian flags and donning the iconic black-and-white keffiyeh. Their message was clear: solidarity with Gaza and a demand for decisive action from European leaders.
“Usually, I don’t appreciate large-scale demonstrations, but today, I couldn’t bring myself to stay home,” said Donato Colucci, a 44-year-old scout leader who marched with 150 youths from a secular association. His sentiment, reported by AFP, reflected a broader sense of urgency and moral responsibility felt by many in attendance.
Barcelona, too, became a focal point for protest. Police there reported some 70,000 demonstrators taking to the streets, though other sources cited figures as high as 15,000 for certain marches. The Spanish capital, Madrid, saw nearly 92,000 people march, according to government estimates. The outpouring of support was not limited to Spain and Italy; several thousand marched through central Dublin, marking what organizers described as “two years of genocide” in Gaza. In Paris, approximately 10,000 gathered, while Brussels and Geneva also saw significant crowds.
The spark for these demonstrations was the interception of the Global Sumud flotilla by the Israeli navy on October 1, 2025. The flotilla, which left Barcelona in early September, consisted of 41 to 45 vessels and carried more than 400 participants—including politicians and high-profile activists such as Greta Thunberg. Its mission was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the Israeli blockade, which the United Nations has said has led to famine conditions in the territory.
The Israeli navy’s actions, which halted the flotilla before it could reach Gaza, set off a wave of anger across Europe. Protesters were particularly incensed by reports that around 50 Spaniards from the flotilla were detained, as confirmed by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in a televised interview. Italy’s foreign ministry later announced that four Italian parliamentarians were among those released, but many activists—including Catalan MP Pilar Castillejo—remained in custody as of the weekend.
Organizers of the Global Sumud flotilla condemned Israel’s interception as "illegal," arguing that it occurred while the ships were in international waters. Their claim found a receptive audience among demonstrators, who saw the flotilla as a last-ditch attempt to deliver desperately needed supplies—baby food, medicine, and other essentials—to Gaza’s besieged population.
In Barcelona, the mood was resolute. Marta Carranza, a 65-year-old pensioner draped in a Palestinian flag, told AFP, “Israel’s policy has been wrong for many years and we have to take to the streets.” Jordi Bas, a primary school teacher, echoed her sense of a turning tide: “People are beginning to wake up a bit. The whole world is mobilising in solidarity.”
The demonstrations were not always peaceful. In Barcelona, riot police clashed with sections of the crowd as protesters attempted to breach barriers, with baton charges driving them back. In Marseille, French police arrested over a hundred pro-Palestinian protesters after they tried to block the offices of arms manufacturer Eurolinks, which is accused by activists of supplying Israel. Geneva witnessed brief clashes as riot police halted a march of mostly young demonstrators who had lit bonfires near the central station. In London, authorities arrested at least 442 people at a gathering in support of the proscribed Palestine Action group.
Political divisions over the Gaza conflict were on full display, particularly in Spain and Italy. Left-wing parties in Catalonia—including PSC, ERC, Comuns, and CUP—issued strong calls for action against what they described as genocide in Gaza. Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, ERC councillor Jordi Coronas, and CUP MP Pilar Castillejo were all aboard the Global Sumud flotilla, with Castillejo still detained as of October 4. These parties, along with Spain’s central government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, have advocated for measures against Israel, including a ban on imports from Israeli settlements and calls for Israel’s exclusion from international sporting events—a stance reminiscent of the penalties imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
On the other side, right-wing parties such as PP, Vox, and Aliança have expressed support for Israel, highlighting a sharp ideological divide. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government faced criticism for what many saw as inaction or even complicity in the siege of Gaza. Although Italy briefly dispatched a naval frigate to accompany the flotilla, Meloni herself called the initiative "dangerous, irresponsible," and condemned the national strike organized by major trade unions in support of the activists. “Long weekends and revolution do not go together,” she remarked at an EU meeting in Copenhagen, as quoted by AFP.
The political fracture was further sharpened by the actions of trade unions and opposition parties. Elly Schlein, head of Italy’s Democratic Party (PD), stated, “The flotilla was trying to do what European governments and the European Union should be doing, namely, breaking this blockade of humanitarian aid that is causing a real famine in Gaza. We call for a total arms embargo, as voted for by Spain. We call for full recognition of the State of Palestine.”
Meanwhile, in Brussels, nearly 3,000 protesters gathered outside the European Parliament, brandishing banners demanding the EU “break the siege” on Gaza. Demonstrators urged European leaders to end financial and military support for Israel and to protect future humanitarian convoys. “We’ll never stop,” Helene Coron, spokesperson for the French contingent of Global Sumud, told the Paris crowd. “This flotilla didn’t get to Gaza. But we’ll send another, then another until Palestine and Gaza are free.”
As the demonstrations spread, so too did calls for stronger sanctions and decisive action from European governments. Protesters across the continent warned that civil action would escalate until the blockade was lifted and humanitarian aid reached Gaza. The events of this weekend have laid bare not only the scale of public anger but also the deep political rifts over how to address the crisis—a crisis that, for many, can no longer be ignored.
