European students wave Palestinian flags at housing and education protests

Protesters in Europe are increasingly carrying the Palestinian flag and wearing keffiyeh scarves during demonstrations over housing, education, and the cost of living.

The visual presence of these symbols has appeared at rallies in France, Belgium, and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, the display of the flags risks reigniting historic grievances tied to a decades-old standoff.

Kenny Pierre Agboton, who represents the Free University of Brussels for Palestine platform, describes the use of the flag as a reference to anti-colonial and anti-repression struggles. He told Al Jazeera that the Palestinian issue has become a central point for many fights in Western Europe, from climate change to livability.

Agboton stated that choosing to engage in political struggle is a deliberate decision that prioritizes education over giving arms to the military. His group coordinates with similar university associations in Belgium and typically provides one flag to each group for nationwide demonstrations.

In France, nationwide rallies have centered on faults within the education system. High school students, supported by university groups, teachers, unions, and some politicians, are demanding more affordable and higher-quality education, smaller classes, and more teachers. Some participants have marched with the Palestinian flag or worn the keffiyeh.

Alice Cohen-Morzadec, spokesperson for the French Student Union, views the flag as a symbol of daily struggles in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. She described the demonstrations as part of a broader movement against global capitalism and colonialism.

Support for the symbols also comes from some politicians. Mario Furore, an Italian member of the European Parliament, asked why a citizen taking to the streets with a Palestinian flag should be a source of outrage. He noted that Israeli operations have caused tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023, with some estimates near 80,000.

Not everyone in Europe shares this view. Fatos Lubonja, an activist and writer in Albania, has carried the Palestinian flag during anti-corruption protests over the past four months. He explained that in his Muslim-majority country, some people link the Palestinian struggle to Muslim identity, which is often equated with the Ottoman Empire. Lubonja said that for many Albanians, being pro-American implies being pro-Israel.

Waddah Abu Jamea, a Palestinian writer and researcher, wrote in Al Majalla magazine in October that Palestinians are expected to condemn some protesters while thanking others. He argued that the flag's original meaning is disappearing behind competing causes, such as identity and immigration. He noted that the flag has entered European universities while schools in Gaza have been destroyed.

Janine di Giovanni, a journalist and head of The Reckoning Project, posted on Facebook on October 18 while visiting the West Bank. She said she understands the root of European protests but asked French protesters not to link their struggle to Palestine. She argued that Palestinians are fighting for the right to live freely on their own land and that conflating the two blurs the specific story of the Palestinian people.