Pro-Palestinian protesters targeted Egyptian embassies across the world over the past week, the latest in London on Saturday, demanding that Cairo “break the siege” and open its Rafah border, according to international media reports and social media footage.
Footage from Cairo’s London embassy showed activists blocking the doors of the building.
In Germany, hundreds gathered outside Cairo’s Berlin embassy on Friday, demanding that Egypt open its border so that aid can enter through the Rafah border crossing.
The demonstrators held placards reading "Open the Rafah Border Crossing," "Open the Rafah Border Crossing, Save Lives," "Freedom for Palestine," "Stop the Genocide," "Freedom for Gaza," and "Silence is Complicity,” according to German media site Harberler.
Lebanese activists and Palestinian refugees use kitchen pots and spoons to make noise during a protest near the Egyptian embassy in Beirut on Wednesday, according to images shared by Reuters.
Egyptian activist and social media personality Anis Habib recorded himself locking Cairo’s embassy in the Hague with bike locks, asserting the action was symbolic.
“It’s been two years of us hearing this same excuse, it’s closed from their side and not ours, they couldn’t handle a lie and a siege for one second, imagine how everyone in Gaza is feeling hearing your lies every day for the past two years,” he said.
“I’ll stay standing here until the police arrive, because I won’t open it until Gaza is opened. Let them break the lock themselves,” Habib said.
Clashes in Egypt after Western activists attempt to cross into Gaza
Last month, violent clashes broke out in Egypt after Western activists attempted to cross into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. Egyptian authorities detained and deported the activists involved.
While protests have raged against Israel for nearly two years following the start of the Hamas war, criticism levied against Cairo has been relatively minimal by comparison.