A pro-Palestine protestor was tackled after invading the finish area of the Tour de France on stage 11 in Toulouse on Wednesday.
The man, who had a t-shirt on that read "Israel out of the Tour", ran onto the Boulevard Lascrosses as Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) and Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) juked it out for victory, and was bundled into the barriers, without interacting with the riders. He was then arrested by French police.
Extinction Rebellion Toulouse claimed credit for the action, which aimed to "denounce the Tour de France's complicity in the genocide", according to the group, with criticism aimed at the inclusion of ProTeam Israel-Premier Tech in the race. While the team has no official connection to the state of Israel, its owner, Sylvan Adams, has been vocal about his support for the country.
"Activists from Extinction Rebellion Toulouse attempted to break into the race course, wearing T-shirts with the slogans 'ISRAEL OUT OF THE TOUR,' 'STOP GENOCIDE,' and 'FREE GAZA'," XR Toulouse wrote in a statement. "The activists also waved a Palestinian flag and wore a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian culture.
"This event is part of a series of events that demonstrate the [Toulouse] city hall's unwavering support for the Palestinian regime."
On social media, the group added: "By allowing the team to participate, the Tour de France becomes complicit in the genocide and contributes to polishing its image."
In a statement, an Israel-Premier Tech spokesperson said: "Israel-Premier Tech respects everyone’s right to free speech which includes the right to protest. However, the team absolutely condemns any protests or actions of individuals that interfere with racing at the Tour de France or threaten the safety of the entire peloton, as was seen on stage 11.
"We thank the ASO [the Tour's organisers] for their swift reaction to ensure the riders were not affected. IPT’s focus is on racing and as such, we continue to work closely with race organizers and relevant parties to ensure that any protests do not jeopardise team members’ safety, nor impact racing, or our right to participate."
"The security measures afforded to the team during the Tour de France are the directive of ASO and relevant French police departments," they continued. "The team cooperates fully with the security protocols outlined by the race and appreciates the significant efforts made by all parties to ensure team members’ safety at the race."
It is not the first time that a pro-Palestine protest has interrupted a bike race this year, with stage six of the Giro d'Italia in May being similarly affected.
According to The Guardian, 58,000 Palestinians, the majority civilians, have been killed in Israel's invasion of Gaza in response to the October 7 terrorist attacks, in which more than 700 people died.
