Muslim civil society organizations have raised concerns over an increasing wave of government crackdowns on pro-Palestinian activism throughout Europe, citing violations of human rights and freedom of expression.
In a joint statement at this week’s Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Warsaw Human Dimension Conference held in Poland, the participants said that protests and public demonstrations supporting Palestine have faced heightened scrutiny and restrictions from local authorities.
Groups from the UK, France, Sweden, Austria, and Denmark said there had been an “undeniable increase in the suppression and criminalization of forms of resistance to Israeli atrocities in Gaza”, citing the arrests of activists and protesters, restrictions on freedom of speech and the dissolution and banning of organizations.
Activists noted a pattern of increased police presence at events, as well as the imposition of fines and legal actions against organizers, which all disproportionately impact Muslim communities, who are often at the forefront of these movements.
They called for greater awareness and support to ensure that their voices are not silenced in the ongoing discourse surrounding the ongoing Israeli war.

Al Mayadeen