Giant Palestinian flag hung on iconic French Alps peak

An anonymous group of mountaineers unfurled a giant Palestinian flag on the west face of the Drus in the Mont Blanc massif over the weekend, in what they described as a symbolic action to raise awareness of the war in Gaza.

The flag, measuring 145 square meters, was displayed on the steep mountain in Chamonix between August 16 and 17. The High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM) was later dispatched by French authorities to remove it, a task completed by midday Sunday.

In a statement, the climbers said the gesture was aimed at denouncing the ongoing aggression and what they called the inaction of Western governments. They drew parallels with the 2024 initiative “100 Summits for Gaza,” when Palestinian flags were raised on dozens of mountain peaks across France to call for a ceasefire.

“We chose the mountains to carry this visual cry to the world,” the collective said, adding that their act was intended as a message of solidarity and peace.

The move sparked debate in France over whether symbolic acts of protest in natural spaces should be considered political offenses or expressions of free speech.