06
May 2024
13:36 UTC
Europe Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict to be held regionwide on May 6-7; maintain heightened vigilance
Current Situation
- Reports indicate that protests related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict will take place in several countries regionwide on May 6-7. Details are as follows:
- In Leuven, Belgium, a pro-Palestinian protest is slated to take place at MTC Maria-Theresiacollege starting at 19:30 (local time) on May 6.
- In Leuven, Belgium, a pro-Palestinian protest is slated to take place at MTC Maria-Theresiacollege starting at 19:30 (local time) on May 6.
- In Madrid, Spain, pro-Palestinian student activists will hold a protest outside Ciudad Universitaria starting from 12:30 on May 7.
- Additionally, reports indicate that in Spain, students and activists associated with multiple pro-Palestinian groups are planning to hold encampment protests at university campuses nationwide, including the universities in Madrid and Malaga, starting from May 6.
- In Madrid, Spain, pro-Palestinian student activists will hold a protest outside Ciudad Universitaria starting from 12:30 on May 7.
- Additionally, reports indicate that in Spain, students and activists associated with multiple pro-Palestinian groups are planning to hold encampment protests at university campuses nationwide, including the universities in Madrid and Malaga, starting from May 6.
- In Stafford, UK, pro-Palestinian activists will hold a protest outside the Crown Court starting at 09:30 on May 7.
- This protest is being held in solidarity with activists who are being tried for vandalism at a weapons manufacturer’s factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
- In Stafford, UK, pro-Palestinian activists will hold a protest outside the Crown Court starting at 09:30 on May 7.
- This protest is being held in solidarity with activists who are being tried for vandalism at a weapons manufacturer’s factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
- Additionally, emerging reports indicate that encampment protests by pro-Palestinian students are ongoing in multiple universities Europewide.
- Such protests are ongoing at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford in the UK as well as the Sciences Po campuses in Paris and Lyon and the University de Strasbourg, in France, as of writing.
- Additionally, emerging reports indicate that encampment protests by pro-Palestinian students are ongoing in multiple universities Europewide.
- Such protests are ongoing at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford in the UK as well as the Sciences Po campuses in Paris and Lyon and the University de Strasbourg, in France, as of writing.
Assessments & Forecast
- Based on precedent and media estimates, the protests are likely to witness turnouts ranging from the high dozens to low thousands, with the protest in Madrid expected to witness the largest turnout.
- Additionally, based on current estimates, judging by the growing momentum of pro-Palestinian activism among student groups, associated protests, including in the form of encampments and sit-ins, are likely to continue at the university and education institutions’ campuses Europewide, despite the increasingly strict law enforcement measures. The scale of such encampments will vary from the low dozens to mid-hundreds on each campus. Ongoing encampments and planned protests on the campuses carry a credible likelihood of localized unrest in the form of clashes with police and pro-Palestinian protesters, as well as possible pro-Israel student protesters.
- In addition to the aforementioned protests, the possibility of spontaneous pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests remains elevated regionwide. Such protests are likely to occur in central government buildings, Israeli and US diplomatic missions, Jewish and Muslim establishments, and prominent public places in major urban centers across Europe. Furthermore, the risk of disruptive protest actions and vandalism targeting establishments perceived as pro-Israel also remains elevated.
- Given heightened sentiments surrounding the protest issue, any planned and spontaneous demonstrations carry an elevated potential for unrest. This is particularly true if the protests attract counterprotests by pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, and/or far-right groups. Incidents of unrest are likely to manifest in the form of clashes between protesters and the police, as well as with counter-protesters, should such demonstrations manifest.
- With that, authorities are likely to deploy a bolstered security presence near the protest locations to monitor proceedings. In the event of escalating unrest, police are liable to use forcible crowd dispersal methods, including arrests.
- Disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular movement, including road closures and traffic diversions, should be anticipated near the protest locations. Further, given that protesters have used road blockades as a protest tactic in the past, the risk of the same remains. If this takes place, this will further increase the scale of disruptions
Recommendations
- Those operating or residing in Europe on May 6-7 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance near protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict due to the elevated potential for unrest.
- Allot for travel-related disruptions in the vicinity of the protest locations.
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Low
AFFECTED AREA
Europe
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Credible
Current Situation
- Reports indicate that protests related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict will take place in several countries regionwide on May 6-7. Details are as follows:
- In Leuven, Belgium, a pro-Palestinian protest is slated to take place at MTC Maria-Theresiacollege starting at 19:30 (local time) on May 6.
- In Leuven, Belgium, a pro-Palestinian protest is slated to take place at MTC Maria-Theresiacollege starting at 19:30 (local time) on May 6.
- In Madrid, Spain, pro-Palestinian student activists will hold a protest outside Ciudad Universitaria starting from 12:30 on May 7.
- Additionally, reports indicate that in Spain, students and activists associated with multiple pro-Palestinian groups are planning to hold encampment protests at university campuses nationwide, including the universities in Madrid and Malaga, starting from May 6.
- In Madrid, Spain, pro-Palestinian student activists will hold a protest outside Ciudad Universitaria starting from 12:30 on May 7.
- Additionally, reports indicate that in Spain, students and activists associated with multiple pro-Palestinian groups are planning to hold encampment protests at university campuses nationwide, including the universities in Madrid and Malaga, starting from May 6.
- In Stafford, UK, pro-Palestinian activists will hold a protest outside the Crown Court starting at 09:30 on May 7.
- This protest is being held in solidarity with activists who are being tried for vandalism at a weapons manufacturer’s factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
- In Stafford, UK, pro-Palestinian activists will hold a protest outside the Crown Court starting at 09:30 on May 7.
- This protest is being held in solidarity with activists who are being tried for vandalism at a weapons manufacturer’s factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
- Additionally, emerging reports indicate that encampment protests by pro-Palestinian students are ongoing in multiple universities Europewide.
- Such protests are ongoing at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford in the UK as well as the Sciences Po campuses in Paris and Lyon and the University de Strasbourg, in France, as of writing.
- Additionally, emerging reports indicate that encampment protests by pro-Palestinian students are ongoing in multiple universities Europewide.
- Such protests are ongoing at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford in the UK as well as the Sciences Po campuses in Paris and Lyon and the University de Strasbourg, in France, as of writing.
Assessments & Forecast
- Based on precedent and media estimates, the protests are likely to witness turnouts ranging from the high dozens to low thousands, with the protest in Madrid expected to witness the largest turnout.
- Additionally, based on current estimates, judging by the growing momentum of pro-Palestinian activism among student groups, associated protests, including in the form of encampments and sit-ins, are likely to continue at the university and education institutions’ campuses Europewide, despite the increasingly strict law enforcement measures. The scale of such encampments will vary from the low dozens to mid-hundreds on each campus. Ongoing encampments and planned protests on the campuses carry a credible likelihood of localized unrest in the form of clashes with police and pro-Palestinian protesters, as well as possible pro-Israel student protesters.
- In addition to the aforementioned protests, the possibility of spontaneous pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests remains elevated regionwide. Such protests are likely to occur in central government buildings, Israeli and US diplomatic missions, Jewish and Muslim establishments, and prominent public places in major urban centers across Europe. Furthermore, the risk of disruptive protest actions and vandalism targeting establishments perceived as pro-Israel also remains elevated.
- Given heightened sentiments surrounding the protest issue, any planned and spontaneous demonstrations carry an elevated potential for unrest. This is particularly true if the protests attract counterprotests by pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, and/or far-right groups. Incidents of unrest are likely to manifest in the form of clashes between protesters and the police, as well as with counter-protesters, should such demonstrations manifest.
- With that, authorities are likely to deploy a bolstered security presence near the protest locations to monitor proceedings. In the event of escalating unrest, police are liable to use forcible crowd dispersal methods, including arrests.
- Disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular movement, including road closures and traffic diversions, should be anticipated near the protest locations. Further, given that protesters have used road blockades as a protest tactic in the past, the risk of the same remains. If this takes place, this will further increase the scale of disruptions
Recommendations
- Those operating or residing in Europe on May 6-7 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance near protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict due to the elevated potential for unrest.
- Allot for travel-related disruptions in the vicinity of the protest locations.
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Low
AFFECTED AREA
Europe
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Credible
Related Reports
France
-
TravelEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Annual pride parades slated in multiple cities regionwide on June 29; maintain heightened vigilance -
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in several cities on June 23-24; maintain heightened vigilance -
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in multiple cities on June 21-23; maintain heightened vigilance
-
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in multiple cities on June 19-20; maintain heightened vigilance
Related Reports
France
-
TravelEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Annual pride parades slated in multiple cities regionwide on June 29; maintain heightened vigilance
-
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in several cities on June 23-24; maintain heightened vigilance
-
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in multiple cities on June 21-23; maintain heightened vigilance
-
ProtestEurope Tactical (UPDATE): Protests related to Israel-Hamas conflict slated in multiple cities on June 19-20; maintain heightened vigilance