Brussels, 16 October 2025 — A coalition of NGOs, including the European Civic Forum,[1] and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) have condemned the violent response to peaceful protests in solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla and the Palestinian people, calling on EU leaders to uphold and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association, and expression of those showing solidarity with Palestinians and address the public’s demands at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 20 October.
In a statement published today, the rights groups condemn the response of European leaders after police in several countries violently dispersed a wave of peaceful demonstrations in support of the flotilla — actions they say breach the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.
They highlight at least 12 countries where instances of unnecessary and unlawful use of force against demonstrators were reported in recent weeks. In one such example, during a protest on 2 October in Brussels, police in riot gear harassed peaceful protesters outside the European Parliament and at the Stock Exchange district. Officers used undue physical violence, including kicking and the use of batons, tear gas, and water cannon without prior warning.
Commenting in the wake of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, ECF’s Acting Co-Secretary General Giada Negri said:
“As we welcome the long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza, we must recognise the decisive role played by people across Europe and the world who refused to stay silent in the face of atrocities. Without their tireless efforts, the ceasefire would not have been possible.
“It is therefore especially alarming that so many European leaders who now welcome the ceasefire have repeatedly dismissed, delegitimised, and repressed these voices.
“Instead of cracking down on the right to protest, European leaders should work to foster a vibrant civic space, where everyone can freely express themselves, show solidarity, and demand justice.”
Commenting on the wider trend of restrictions on rights, ECF’s Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer Aarti Narsee said:
“The repeated restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly, association, and expression are part of a broader erosion of human rights in Europe.
“If European governments continue to normalise the violent suppression of peaceful assembly, this downward trend will only intensify.”
The NGOs also expressed grave concern over the lack of action by European governments and EU institutions to protect the humanitarian and civic mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which carried more than 500 activists from 44 countries, including EU member states.
By failing to condemn the unlawful interception of the flotilla, EU leaders risked “further normalising the criminalisation of non-violent civic engagement and undermining confidence in Europe’s commitment to protect human rights defenders consistently, both within and beyond its borders,” the NGOs said.
The organisations call on the EU foreign ministers to act on the demands of the European people for an immediate and permanent end to Israel’s crimes under international law against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to ensure that life-saving humanitarian aid, including food and healthcare, is immediately and unconditionally delivered to Gaza.
ENDS
[1] The signatories are: Civil Liberties Union for Europe, EuroMed Rights, European Civic Forum (ECF), European Jews for Palestine, European Network Against Racism (ENAR), Equinox initiative for racial justice, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and SOLIDAR
Media Contact
Benjamin Goodwin, ECF Communications and Campaigns Officer: bgoodwin@civic-forum.eu
About the European Civic Forum
The European Civic Forum (ECF) is a pan-European network of nearly 100 associations and NGOs across 29 European countries. Founded in 2005 by our member organisations, we have spent two decades working to protect civic space, enable civic participation and build civil dialogue for more equality, solidarity and democracy in Europe.