Pro-Hamas Activist Arrested in Italy for Inciting Violent Protests
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Italian police arrested Youssef Sihr, an activist suspected of organizing violent protests and inciting terrorism across Italy. The demonstrations, inspired by events in France, involved thousands of participants and led to clashes with security forces. Similar unrest occurred in Spain and France, resulting in numerous arrests and detentions across all three countries. The protests were linked to online organizing and propaganda disseminated by Sihr's past activities.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Italian police arrested Youssef Sihr, suspected of organizing violent, pro-Palestinian protests across Italy.
- Sihr is accused of inciting terrorism and organized violence, and is known for past Hamas propaganda.
- Protests in Italy involved thousands, with clashes reported in multiple cities and over 380 arrests/detentions.
- Violent demonstrations also occurred in Spain, leading to about 100 arrests in Barcelona.
- France saw massive protests with hundreds of thousands participating and nearly 1,000 arrests.
- The "October 17 Movement" was allegedly organized via a chat group created by Sihr.
Italian police arrested Youssef Sihr, a 30-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan descent and a pro-Palestinian activist, on Saturday. He is suspected of organizing violent demonstrations that have erupted across Italy in recent days, inciting terrorism and organized violence. Italian media reports indicate Sihr is known to intelligence services for founding "The Rising Dawn," an organization that spread Hamas and Popular Front propaganda among European Muslim communities. The Italian Interior Ministry revealed Sihr was behind the creation of a chat group that formed the "October 17 Movement," named after the date French authorities lost control of protests, and authored its manifesto. He was apprehended in Milan after an intensive cyber investigation, including IP data transfer from Meta. His wife, also suspected, was released. Sihr posted calls for victory and continued fighting on social media, including defiant messages towards pro-Israel politicians. Prior to the protests, Italian police conducted over 150 raids in the north after discovering a WhatsApp group planning attacks on officers, arms theft, and arson. The Milan protests drew over 10,000 participants, with 500 soldiers deployed. While most demonstrations were peaceful, clashes involving stone-throwing and tear gas occurred in Rome, Turin, Bologna, and Florence. In total, nine people were arrested and 371 detained in Italy. The violent protests also spread to Spain, where about 100 rioters, including 27 minors, were arrested in Barcelona. Under the banner "Angry High Schools," inspired by French groups, hundreds of youths clashed with police, threw fireworks, and looted stores. In France, protests continued with 410,000 demonstrators reported by the Interior Ministry, though unions estimated 800,000. Nearly 1,000 arrests were made amid violent clashes, tear gas deployment, two serious injuries, and looting in Marseille and Grenoble.