Smoke Bombs Set Off at Paris Orchestra Amid Protests Against Gaza War

Israel Philharmonic Concert Repeatedly Disrupted
Performance Halted Several Times Amid Protests
Four Pro-Palestinian Activists Arrested Over 'Gaza War' Demonstration

At a concert held in Paris, France, pro-Palestinian activists caused a disturbance by setting off smoke bombs.

According to Yonhap News Agency, on the 6th (local time), the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Lahav Shani, held a concert at the invitation of the Philharmonie de Paris. However, the performance was interrupted several times due to commotion in the audience.

Pro-Palestinian activists set off smoke bombs at the Israel Philharmonic concert hall. Photo captured by Yonatan Arfi on X.

The Philharmonie de Paris issued a statement the following morning, explaining, "On three occasions, members of the audience attempted to disrupt the concert in various ways. On two of those occasions, they used smoke bombs."

The statement continued, "Audience members intervened, leading to clashes, and those who caused the disturbance were removed from the venue. The concert then resumed and concluded peacefully."

The Philharmonie further emphasized, "Such actions cannot be justified under any circumstances. Regardless of individual opinions, endangering the safety of the audience, staff, or artists is absolutely unacceptable. Bringing violence into the concert hall is an extremely serious issue." It was reported that four individuals who caused the disturbance were detained by police.

The French daily Le Figaro reported that the concert was embroiled in controversy even before it began, as pro-Palestinian activists demanded its cancellation. Although the Philharmonie de Paris took thorough security measures around the venue in preparation for the event, they were unable to prevent the disruption inside.

On the other hand, Jewish organizations defined the incident as antisemitism and called for sanctions. Yonatan Arfi, President of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, stated on X, "I pay tribute to the musicians who performed despite the disruptions by hate-filled agitators," adding, "Those who interfered with the performance must face exemplary sanctions."