(RightWing.org) – These days, when a news headline includes terms like pro-Palestine or anti-Israel, the ensuing article usually involves angry students clashing with law enforcement officials. However, a recent report points to a brewing conflict overseas — Paris, to be exact.
On April 30, The Associated Press and other media outlets reported that hundreds of pro-Palestine/anti-Israel protesters swarmed the headquarters building for the Paris Organizing Committee (the Comité d’Organisation des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024 or COJOP2024) for the upcoming Paralympic and Olympic games.
The group is responsible for handling the financing and planning of the competition and delivering it in accordance with the Host City Contract, which was co-signed by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, the Paris City Council, and the International Olympic Committee.
About 300 demonstrators surrounded the Saint-Denis suburb waving pro-Palestinian signs, banners, and Palestinian flags. They also chanted slogans calling on the COJOP2024 to bar Israel’s “institutional participation” in this year’s games due to its ongoing war with Hamas.
Protesters cited the decision to ban Russian government officials from attending the games due to the war in Ukraine. Russian athletes participating this year will compete under a neutral flag at the direction of the COJOP2024. The demonstrators are demanding that the committee enforce the same protocols on Israeli athletes and government representatives.
Several members of the EuroPalestine activist group are participating in the Paris protests. One of them, Nicolas Shashaani, told media outlets that it only took four days for COJOP2024 to decide to ban Belorussia and Russia from the Olympic games. Yet, he lamented, those same officials are “prepared to welcome the Israeli delegation.”
Fox News reported that French President Emmanuel Macron previously supported the COJOP2024’s decision to ban Russian government officials but allow athletes to compete using a neutral flag. Yet, he has defended the committee’s decision to let Israeli athletes compete under the Jewish State’s flag despite the IDF’s continued attacks on Gaza territories.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games begin on July 24 and end on August 11. It remains unclear whether the COJOP2024 will reconsider its decision to allow Israeli athletes to compete under their home flag.
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