A pro-Palestinian protester released mice at a McDonald's restaurant in Birmingham, UK, as a form of boycott against Israel. The mice were spray painted with the colors of the Palestinian flag. The incident caused distress to customers and the mice themselves. McDonald's has fully sanitized the restaurant and called pest control for inspection. [9d866c1f]
Protesters in support of Palestine are using watermelon emojis as a symbol of solidarity amid the Israel-Hamas war. The watermelon's colors (red, white, black, and green) match those of the Palestinian flag, making it a representation of Palestinian culture and identity. The fruit has been used in art, graffiti, posters, and as an emoji on social media. The use of the watermelon as a symbol of protest began when Israeli officials banned the Palestinian flag and its colors. Palestinians started using the watermelon as a way to circumvent the ban. Although the ban on the flag was lifted with the Oslo Accords in 1993, the watermelon symbol continued to be used. The symbol resurfaced in 2021 after an Israeli court ruled to evict Palestinian families in East Jerusalem. In response to a crackdown on waving the Palestinian flag, a grassroots organization called Zazim started a campaign placing images of watermelons on taxis in Tel Aviv. The watermelon symbol has gained traction during anti-Israel protests, with social media users using the watermelon emoji to show their support for Palestine. The symbol has also been used by protesters in Germany, where pro-Palestine protests and symbols have been banned. [cdc555bf]