Pro-Palestine activists call for demonstration after flotilla interception, hundreds rally in Barcelona

Several members of the Global Sumud Flotilla and pro-Palestine activists called for demonstrations to urge for their freedom after the Israeli army intercepted the vessels off Gaza's shore on Wednesday night.

These activists, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, recorded several videos before or during the Israeli military deployment. In addition to Colau, Pilar Castillejo, a member of the Catalan parliament for the far-left CUP party, also shared a video online.

They denounce that the army intercepted the vessels in international waters. Both urged society to pressure the Spanish government to ask for their freedom in case they were detained, and denounced the Israeli army's actions.

Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, on board of Sirius, recorded a video saying that she had "been illegally detained by Israel, and that she does not have access to a phone nor internet"

Barcelona's councilor for pro-independence Esquerra Republicana Jordi Coronas said that they had been surrounded "by a group of more than 20 Israeli vessels." 

The pro-Palestine activists defend their right to sail in international waters and denounced that Israel is perpetrating war crimes in Gaza and that they have the will to reach the coast and to open a humanitarian aid corridor.

Hours after the flotilla was intercepted, Catalan president Salvador Illa urged the Israeli government to respect "international law" as well as the "basic rights of the members of the flotilla, starting with their personal security."

Illa expressed on X his "concern" after the news of the interception started to appear, and said that the boats were heading to Gaza "with the peaceful goal of setting up a humanitarian aid corridor."

He said that the Catalan government is in contact with the Spanish foreign ministry.

The ministry itself set up a group to follow the situation, and that the consulates in Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, and Nicosia (Cyprus) have been warned of the situation. The ministry is also in touch with other foreign ministries, such as the one Irish and Turkish ones.

The group of around 40 vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla faced Israeli vessels off Gaza's coast, which urged them to change the route. The first vessels left Barcelona in late August, and on October 1, these were "illegally intercepted" by the Israeli army. 

Around 8:00 pm on Wednesday, the group of boats said that the Israeli army had surrounded them and that at least three ships had been intercepted. "Cameras are offline and several vessels have been boarded by military personnel," a text read on social media.

Earlier in the night, a video showed a conversation over the boats' radios that said that "This is an active war zone."

In the event of "an attempt to breach the naval blockade, we will stop your vessel and actively confiscate it for legal proceedings in court. You bear full responsibility for your actions," the radio audio message continued.

The group had planned to reach Gaza on Thursday morning, around 10 am (local time). During the day, they surpassed the threshold where Madleen, another vessel trying to reach Gaza in June, was stopped by Israeli forces.

Demonstrations

After the flotilla's interception, there was a spontaneous demonstration outside the Israeli consulate in Barcelona.

Hundreds of Barcelona residents met on Avinguda Carles III, near Diagonal Avenue, where the consulate is located. The demonstrators blocked the road and chanted against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

In fact, organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which departed from Barcelona in late August, had called to demonstrate on Thursday from 7:00 pm in all municipalities. They are also backing the students' strike expected on Thursday.

The Sindicat d'Estudiants dels Països Catalans (SEPC) union, a group of students from Catalan-language territories, organized a new strike on Friday to demonstrate against Israel's interception of the flotilla heading to Gaza.

Regardless of the flotilla's situation, several protests had already been scheduled for Saturday, 4.

Israel confirms arrests

The Israeli foreign affairs ministry wrote on social media X that "several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port."

The text published at 10:00 pm (Barcelona time) is accompanied by a 12-second video showing Swedish activist Greta Thunberg being detained while on dock of the vessel she was traveling on.

"Greta and her friends are safe and healthy," the post concludes.

'Not too late'

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar urged the flotilla to put an end to their attempt to reach Gaza following calls from Spain, Italy and Greece.

"It is not too late," he wrote on a message on social media X on Wednesday. "From all over, there are calls for this Hamas-Sumud provocation to stop," he added.

"Please transfer any aid you might have peacefully through the Port of Cyprus, the Ashkelon Marina, or any other port in the region into Gaza," the text read.

On social media, the Israeli foreign affairs ministry wrote that the "flotilla refused a way to peacefully deliver any aid they might have to Gaza."

The text reads that the group of vessels is "not interested in aid, but in provocation. The Israeli Navy has reached out to the Hamas-Sumud flotilla and asked them to change course. Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade. Israel reiterated the offer to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza.