During the Tour de France on Wednesday, a security guard intervened decisively when a protester interrupted the race by running onto the course to object to an Israeli team’s involvement.

The guard tackled the protester, pinning him against the wall that separated the track from the audience. He eventually hoisted the protester over the barrier, where he landed amidst a dense crowd of spectators.

This startling incident unfolded merely 25 meters from the finish line as Jonas Abrahamsen of Norway narrowly defeated Mauro Schmid of Switzerland to claim victory in the 11th stage of the three-week long competition.

The protester was wearing a shirt that said “Israel out of the Tour,” and he held a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered headdress that has become a symbol of solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

After the protester had been thrust onto the ground, the security guard yelled and pointed at him as the shocked crowd of fans looked on.

The protest was presumably directed at the Israel Premier-Tech team, which is registered in Israel, although it does not feature any Israeli bikers at this year’s event. 

In April, pro-Palestinian movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions dubbed Israel Premier-Tech “Team Genocide,” and called for “peaceful protests.”

“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 wrote. “Let’s make sure the road is closed to genocide perpetrators.”

Members of the team also faced protests at the 2025 Amstel Gold Race in April and at the Giro d’Italia in May. 

Stage 11 of the Tour de France, which stretched 156.8 kilometers, took place in and around the Southern French city of Toulouse.

The prestigious race consists of 21 stages, with the event wrapping up at the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 27.