A pro-Palestinian activist protesting the participation of an Israeli team in the Tour de France was detained by security guards after attempting to disrupt the cycling race near the finish line on Wednesday.
Video footage that went viral showed the man jumping a barricade and running toward the racers while shouting objections to the Jewish state’s participation in the world’s most prestigious bike race.
Israel is represented at the Tour de France by the Israel-Premier Tech team, though no Israelis are among the eight riders participating in this year’s July 5-27 competition.
NEW: Anti-Israel protester gets thrown over a fence after interrupting the Tour de France by running down the track.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 18, 2025
The incident took place just 25 yards from the finish line.
The man was believed to be protesting the Israel Premier-Tech team, which ironically didn't have any… pic.twitter.com/4tOENLiSCm
In April, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement dubbed Israel Premier-Tech “Team Genocide,” calling on BDS supporters to stage “peaceful protests” against its presence at the Tour de France.
“We call for more peaceful protests than ever along the routes of cycling races where Team Genocide is participating, including the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España,” the organization said, naming the three Grand Tours and adding, “Let’s make sure the road is closed to genocide perpetrators.”
Members of the Israeli cycling team also faced pro-Palestinian protests during the Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands in April and at the Giro d’Italia in May.
The Tour de France consists of 21 stages, with the event wrapping up at the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 27. Stage 11, stretching over 150 kilometers (93 miles), took place around Toulouse on Wednesday.
Founded more than 10 years ago by Israeli businessman Ron Baron and former rider Ran Margaliot, Israel Premier-Tech is competing this year for the sixth consecutive time in the Tour de France, its 112th edition.
“What we are doing is carrying the good name of Israel, the name of an open, tolerant, fair-play, sporting nation. It’s especially important in this difficult period—post-Oct. 7, 2023,” Sylvan Adams, the team’s owner, told JNS on July 10, referencing the Hamas-led massacre.
