European protests adopt 'globalize the intifada' rhetoric, sparking antisemitic backlash

Zohran Mamdani first shouted “globalize the intifada” in New York, and the phrase has rapidly become a rallying cry at European protests, according to the author. Greta Thunberg’s brief appearance on a Gaza-bound flotilla is highlighted as an example of high-profile figures unintentionally amplifying the message. In France, a 65-year-old woman named Sylvie, identified as a supporter of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, was seen brandishing a Hamas flag at Place d’Italie, underscoring the merger of left-wing activism with pro-Palestinian symbolism.

The article blames European governments, notably Emmanuel Macron, for encouraging the narrative by denouncing Israel’s defensive actions and repeatedly invoking a Palestinian state that the author claims serves as a euphemism for Israel’s elimination. Arrest data from Milan indicate that many of those detained are second- or third-generation immigrants, and similar unrest is reported among schoolchildren in Italy, France and the United Kingdom. The author connects these incidents to a broader historical pattern of antisemitic violence in Europe, warning that one outlet wave threatens the continent’s democratic fabric.