Pro-Palestine protest at University of Barcelona raises concerns ahead of Catalan election

A pro-Palestine student protest at the University of Barcelona (UB) is causing concern as it could disrupt this Sunday's Catalan election, as the building where it is taking place will serve as a polling station. 

Although the UB Senate passed a motion in support of Palestine on Wednesday, calling on the university to sever all institutional and academic ties with Israel, protesters will continue to demonstrate until the motion is implemented. 

"We will not stop until the entire chain of complicity with the genocidal state is broken, from the public universities to the Catalan and Spanish governments," protesters said in their manifesto. 

To avoid disruptions during Sunday's vote, the Electoral Board has asked the Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra and the University of Barcelona to ensure that the electoral law is respected when voters go to the polls. 

The Electoral Board emphasized the prohibition of election propaganda and coercion of voters. However, the protesting students have made it clear that their goal is not to disrupt the voting process. 

"Faced with the possibility of being evicted on May 12, we say that we would not understand it and emphasize that we will not interfere with the electoral process," stated student council member Pablo Castilla. 

Although the students have not yet received an eviction order, they claim to be "prepared" for such an eventuality and vow to respond accordingly, without giving further details.   

They also express their disbelief that a protest for life and basic rights would be forcibly evicted under the excuse of an election day.