- October 3, 2025
- 2:05 pm
- World News
On Thursday, October 3, 2025, mass protests once again took place in the streets of European cities. The reason for the actions was the interception by Israel of a “humanitarian flotilla” heading to the Gaza Strip, which caused a wide public outcry.
Details of the events
Israel came under international pressure after intercepting 44 ships of the Global Sumud Fotilla and Marinette this Friday in the Mediterranean Sea. In protest, demonstrations simultaneously took place in several European cities. Thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid, Rome, and Brussels. In particular, in Barcelona, protesters damaged the windows of popular retail establishments, including Starbucks and Burger King, by making anti-Israeli inscriptions.
In Madrid, riots and clashes with the police occurred during a march near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. Protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the organized actions of the Israeli security forces.
In Italian cities such as Milan and Rome, students blocked several universities, including Statale and La Sapienza. Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto criticized the behavior of some demonstrators. He posed a rhetorical question about how blocking transport hubs in Italy could help the Palestinian people.
According to Belgian media, in Brussels, several thousand people gathered for a rally in support of the humanitarian flotilla. Among the demonstrators were those who unfurled a banner with the call “Sail to Gaza and break the blockade.”
In The Hague, Netherlands, protesters gathered in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after which they marched to the Central Station, demonstrating their dissatisfaction with what was happening.
Brief summary
Israeli military stopped the flotilla, which was 112 km off the coast of Gaza. This incident led to the convening of an emergency meeting of the EU armed forces leaders, who will gather to discuss the situation following the detention of the flotilla.
