France arrests 6 over Palestinian flag on Eiffel Tower

Paris: French authorities have arrested six people suspected of flying a Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower without permission, a police source said on Saturday.

Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion France claimed responsibility for draping the large flag from the tower’s first floor on Friday afternoon.

A representative said it was sending a “message of support” to Palestinians, accusing Israel of carrying out “massacres” in Gaza, as well as “ecocide crimes” including uprooting olive trees on Palestinian land.

It was set to coincide with Nakba Day, commemorating the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel.

The flags of both Israel and Palestine, as well as peace images of a dove and olive branch, were in September projected onto the Eiffel Tower, ahead of France recognising the Palestinian state.

In October 2023, after Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out deadly attacks on Israel, the tower was lit up with the Israeli flag.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli figures compiled by AFP.

Israeli military operations have killed more than 72,700 people in the Palestinian territory, also mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Despite an October ceasefire, Gaza remains gripped by daily violence as Israeli strikes continue, with both Hamas accusing Israel of violating the truce.