Barcelona protesters rally on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Protesters took to the streets in Barcelona on Tuesday evening to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Organized by the Feminist November collective, demonstrators marched under the slogan 'Weaving resistance – Free, alive, and rebellious against sexist, racist, and colonial violence'.

Around 1,400 people, according to local police, joined the annual November 25 rally, which began at 6:30pm at Plaça Universitat.

The rally moved along Ronda de la Universitat, Ronda de Sant Pere, Plaça d'Urquinaona, Via Laietana, before finishing at Plaça d'Antoni Maura.

Several protesters held up signs bearing the names of women, their ages, and how they were abused or killed, while a sign from the Barcelona domestic workers' union Sindihogar equated Spain's immigration law with gender-based violence.

Other signs carried by demonstrators read "Against patriarchal and colonial violence – Feminist self-defense and union strength" and "Keep your rosaries out of my ovaries."

Rozina Bertran, from Feminist November, lamented in a media statement that gender-based violence "is a daily reality" and called on people to take to the streets on behalf of those who cannot.

"We must raise our voices for those who cannot do so," she said, emphasizing that feminism is necessary to confront hate speech.

Marisa Fernández, another member of Novembre Feminista, stressed that laws are insufficient and that more resources are needed to prevent women from suffering violence and to help them recognize it.

"Without resources, we won't succeed," she added.

"Today, as every November 25, we take to the streets to make our voices heard. We do so with the strength given by collective memory, built alliances, and shared struggles and actions," read the manifesto by Feminist November.

The group promises to continue "weaving resistance" through "feminist self-defense, mutual support, and the collective construction of a dignified life." 

Among the demonstrators were representatives from several political parties, including the Socialists, ERC, Junts, Comuns, and CUP.