As Israel and Jewish communities worldwide prepare to mark three years since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, a wave of 262 pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protests and solidarity events is expected across 37 countries, raising renewed concerns over antisemitism and the security of Jewish communities.
The events, identified by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism through its J-SOC (National Center for Combating Antisemitism), are scheduled between October 1 and October 14. As many as 75 demonstrations are planned for October 7 itself, the anniversary of the Hamas-led invasion and massacre in southern Israel. Another 121 events are scheduled for October 10 and 11.
The scale of the planned mobilisation has drawn particular attention because October 7 commemorates one of the deadliest attacks against Israelis and Jews in recent history. On that day, thousands of Hamas terrorists infiltrated southern Israel by land, sea and air, attacking communities, military positions and the Nova music festival. More than 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were abducted to Gaza.
Protests near Israeli targets fuel security concerns
The ministry has classified 21 of the planned events as high-risk and another 66 as medium-risk. Around 45 demonstrations are expected near Israeli embassies, consulates or other Israeli-linked locations, including 10 considered high-risk.
High-risk demonstrations are planned directly outside Israeli diplomatic missions in Seoul, Bogota, Mexico City and Bangkok. Other locations identified for heightened concern include Amsterdam’s Dam Square, Helsinki’s Rautatieasema and Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, all situated relatively close to Israeli diplomatic or Israeli-linked facilities.
This was Gaza on October 7. Palestinians celebrating in the streets as terrorists dragged the bodies of murdered Israeli women. Remember this next time someone calls them “freedom fighters.”@October7Attack pic.twitter.com/uhNreHccFc
— October 7th (@October7Attack) September 21, 2026
Major European capitals are also expected to see high-risk rallies. Police monitoring is anticipated around demonstrations in Milan, Rome, Paris, London and Berlin, while other high-risk gatherings have been identified in Barcelona, Istanbul, Santiago and Bogota.
The United States tops the list with 45 planned events, followed by Spain with 40. Australia is expected to see 21, the United Kingdom 19 and Italy 16. Germany and Canada each have 14, while France has 10 and the Netherlands eight. Canada has the largest concentration of high-risk events, with four planned in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. The United States, Italy, Australia and Greece each have two.
The demonstrations come after three years of sustained pro-Palestinian mobilisation in cities across the world. While organisers generally describe the events as expressions of solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israeli policy, their timing alongside the anniversary of the Hamas terror attack has intensified criticism and concern among Jewish communities.
The Israeli ministry has described the planned mobilisation as an effort to maximise public participation and international media exposure. Authorities in several countries are preparing crowd-control and security measures, particularly around diplomatic facilities and locations associated with Israeli citizens.
For Israelis and Jews living abroad, the anniversary therefore comes amid heightened vigilance. The central concern is not simply the number of demonstrations, but whether protests marking the anniversary of the October 7 Jewish massacre could provide a platform for rhetoric or actions that glorify Hamas, minimise the atrocities committed that day or contribute to a broader rise in antisemitic hostility.
The ministry has urged Israelis abroad to remain alert, follow local security instructions and avoid potentially volatile gatherings as demonstrations intensify around the third anniversary of the Hamas terror attack.
