Hundreds of people have gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul to protest Israel’s attack of the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza.
TRT World reported from the scene that protesters chanted slogans, prayed for Palestinians in Gaza, and called on the international community to speak up against what they described as genocide.
Similar protests erupted across European cities.
In Rome, hundreds of demonstrators, including students and grassroots union members, gathered at Piazza dei Cinquecento in front of Termini Station.
Participants blocked traffic while chanting "Let’s block everything for the Flotilla and for Palestine."
Police closed metro stations and restricted access to the terminal.
Organisers said about 1,000 protesters planned to march towards Piazza Barberini.
Italian trade unions, Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) and Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL), announced a nationwide general strike on 3 October in response to the incident.
In Barcelona, several hundred people rallied outside the Israeli consulate to denounce the interception and express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Similar demonstrations took place in Berlin, where dozens gathered at Central Station, and in Brussels, where protesters marched from Place de la Bourse to the Belgian Foreign Ministry.
Activists in London also announced plans for a protest on Thursday.
Flotilla stormed
Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval forces blocked communications before intercepting the convoy in international waters.
The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) confirmed that Israeli troops boarded the Alma and Sirius ships.
Activists posted videos on social media showing Israeli boats approaching the convoy and ordering vessels to change course.
The flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies, had set sail at the end of August and was due to reach Gaza’s coast on Thursday morning under normal conditions.
It marked the first attempt in years to send such a large aid convoy to Gaza, with around 50 ships carrying 532 civilian supporters from more than 45 countries.
The enclave’s 2.4 million Palestinians have been under Israeli blockade for about 18 years.
