French MEP Sparks Outrage by Tossing Israeli Flag at Oct. 7 Memorial Event

A controversy has erupted in the European Parliament after French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan was accused of throwing the Israeli and European Union flags to the ground during a memorial event for the victims of the October 7th Hamas attacks. The flags were part of a commemorative exhibition held at the parliament. Hassan, a member of the "Rebellious France" party, is known for her opposition to Israel's existence and her support for Hamas, having previously participated in a Gaza-bound flotilla. The accusation was first made by fellow MEP François-Xavier Bellamy of the Republicans party, who posted video evidence on social media showing the flags on the floor. Bellamy stated that Hassan threw the flags to the ground during the memorial event, in front of images of the victims, sending a clear message that demanded an appropriate response. He later called for disciplinary sanctions against her in a parliamentary speech. Sources within the parliament and Bellamy's circle indicated that other witnesses were present and that parliamentary security cameras may have captured the incident. French media outlets, including CNews, have described the event as a blatant act of antisemitism that desecrates EU institutions and the memory of the victims. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum. Italian MEP Pina Picierno, who initiated the memorial exhibition, accused Hassan of seeking "five minutes of fame" at the expense of basic decency and turning the sensitive display into a spectacle. A Republican MEP claimed Hassan had "trampled and defaced" the national and European symbols. Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), condemned the act as a "double blow" and a "desecration." Hassan's supporters have not yet issued a detailed official response, but the affair continues to generate significant debate in France and within EU institutions, intensifying tensions surrounding Hassan's activities and statements on the Middle East. Hassan later admitted to throwing the Israeli flag but claimed the European flag fell accidentally.