The organized attacks against Benzema involved journalists, intellectuals, well-coordinated social media campaigns, and even top politicians.

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In the early days of the Israeli war on Gaza, the campaign to suppress any pro-Palestine view, in fact, any anti-war view, was most intense.

Some countries in Europe, which pride themselves on supposed freedom of speech, either banned or considered banning the Palestinian flag, or even specific chants.

In some countries, especially France, the campaign turned even more extreme where artists, sportsmen and even ordinary citizens were attacked, and in some cases tried, for social media statements expressing solidarity with the Palestinians.

This period shall be remembered as the war on freedom of speech in many European societies.