Hundreds rally in Barcelona against ‘Israeli apartheid’

Hundreds of people protested in Barcelona on Wednesday evening against “Israeli apartheid and colonialism.”

The protest, attended by 500 people according to local police, took place outside the European Commission headquarters in the Catalan capital, in the iconic Passeig de Gràcia boulevard, and also aimed at the “collusion” of the EU with Israel.

Protesters expressed their outrage at the siege in the Gaza strip by flying Palestinian flags and chanting things like ‘Solidarity with Palestinian people’ and ‘It is not war, it is genocide.’

‘Boycott Israel’ was another demand made by those participating in the event, organized by the Palestinian Community in Catalonia and the Coalition Enough Collusion with Israel.

“The EU did not hesitate to impose sanctions on Russia when it invaded Ukraine and should now act in the same way,” said Alys Samson, a member of the coalition.

The entities have also warned that Gaza authorities have run out of fuel as “constant” bombing continues – they believe Israel wants to fully destroy the strip.

Demonstrators have urged Spain to stop trading weapons with Israel, and called on Barcelona’s local council to put an end to its partnership with Tel Aviv.

Barcelona – Tel Aviv 

Early in September, Barcelona Mayor, Socialist Jaume Collboni, restored the twin city ties with Tel Aviv after former Mayor Ada Colau had decided to temporarily suspend all relations with Israel in February. She lost the post in the May local elections.

Collboni signed a mayoral decree to "correct" the positioning of Barcelona as a city that is a "bridge and in dialogue" with all cities of the Mediterranean and around the world, authorities said in September.

The one-paragraph decree stated that the mayor of Barcelona lifts the "suspension of the friendship and collaboration agreement" with the cities of Tel Aviv and Gaza signed in September 1998 and "consequently, restores institutional relations." 

The protest took place one day after the Israeli community held a memorial event in Barcelona "in memory of the victims of the murder and kidnapping of Jewish people from the Gaza Strip." 

Catalonia's Interior Minister, Joan Ignasi Elena, confirmed on Tuesday that police had increased security around places related to Israel and Palestine.