CIVICUS, an alliance of civil society organizations that evaluates fundamental freedoms in 198 countries and territories, details these findings in its People Power Under Attack 2024 report. Nearly one-tenth of all protests suppressed by authorities this year were connected to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza or expressions of solidarity with Palestinians.
Tara Petrović, an author of the CIVICUS report, told the Time magazine: “We’ve seen expressions of solidarity and we’ve seen repression of these expressions of solidarity at pretty much every corner of the globe.” While demonstrations often center on domestic issues, this year’s global mobilization over the conflict in Gaza prompted a notable international response—including police crackdowns, event cancellations, and protest bans.
Countries once regarded as “open” or “narrowed” by CIVICUS took tougher measures against pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Germany stood out for banning events, conducting raids, and even temporarily enforcing Schengen-wide entry bans on certain pro-Palestinian figures. Such steps contributed to Germany’s downgrade from “open” to “narrowed” status. In the United States—categorized as “narrowed” since 2022—pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses sparked arrests, policy changes, and the introduction of new legislative tools that critics say could target advocacy groups.
Despite these repressive actions, Petrović told Time that global solidarity protests have influenced some government decisions, including withholding arms sales to Israel and restoring funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Meanwhile, Poland’s civic space rating in the report improved from “obstructed” to “narrowed,” placing it in the second-highest category for civic freedoms.
According to CIVICUS’ press release, less than 15% of the world’s population lives in countries that are categorized as “open” or “narrowed.” CIVICUS credits Poland’s upgrade to positive efforts like investigating spyware abuses against critics and NGOs, while still expressing concern over persistent human rights issues, including migration policy.
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Source: Civicus, Time