There is serious unrest in Paris and other French cities. We are seeing looting, violent clashes, burning vehicles, damaged buildings and police struggling to restore order.
From what has been reported, the unrest is linked to rising living costs, economic pressure on households, concerns about education and public services, and wider dissatisfaction with government policies.
I have been following the news and watching videos circulating on various social media platforms. However, something keeps catching my attention.

In picture after picture, and video after video, showing clashes, looting and burning buildings, I keep seeing the Palestinian flag and the Palestinian scarf (keffiyeh).

And this brings me to a question I genuinely want to understand.

Not long ago, in Cape Town, we witnessed a march where Palestinian flags were prominently displayed, while the South African flag was notably absent from the scenes I saw. The same scarf that I keep seeing in the footage from France was also visible.

I remember that, days after the events of 7 October 2023 in Israel, the same scarf began appearing on some of our government officials and political leaders. Even today, it remains a recognisable symbol in our political spaces.

Now, let me be clear: I am not against people expressing solidarity with others, nor am I questioning anyone’s right to protest peacefully. People have the right to demonstrate, and every nation has its own struggles that deserve to be heard.

But I would genuinely like someone to educate me on this.

If the unrest in France is about the struggles of the French people, rising living costs, education, public services and dissatisfaction with their government, why are Palestinian flags and scarves so prominent in the footage?

What message are these symbols communicating in the French protests? Or is there a connection between these demonstrations that I may not be aware of?

Can somebody please school me on this?