Thousands take to streets in Barcelona on Saturday to protest violence against women

More than 4000 people took to the streets in Barcelona this Saturday in order to protest against violence against women.

Under the slogan “We want to be alive, free and rebellious,” the march started at 6pm in the centre of the Catalan capital at Plaça Universitat and headed down one of the main road Via Laeitana, finally ending up outside Barcelona City Council headquarters at Plaça de Sant Jaume, where actress Júlia Barceló read the unitary manifesto of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. As they marched through the city, shouts of “they are not dead, they were murdered,” and “no is no” were heard.

The march was organized by the women’s rights platform Novembre Feminista, bringing together various feminist groups from across the country. The açade of the Barcelona City Council was illuminated purple and a ribbon, a symbol of the fight against gender violence.

Protestes waved banners such as “there were rapists before miniskirts,” and “on my way home I want to be free, not brave.”

One of the members of Feminist Novembre, Dolores Pulido, explained that this year the theme 'We want to be alive, free and rebellious' has been chosen to lead the march. Regarding the concept of 'live', Pulido explained that "we want to survive this violence that is killing us." "There is are women murdered every day and it is amazing how society is not scandalized with this important number of dead women," she lamented. For Pulido, it is very important that "we fill the streets because it will be the only way to move awareness and create sensitivities."

The rally on Saturday afternoon was preceded by the central event that was held in the Plaza Sant Jaume in the morning to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The unitary manifesto that was read both in the morning and in the afternoon and was written by journalist Mònica Planes, who focused on calling on society to break itd silence and not be complicit in sexist violence.

In 2017, a total of eight women were killed by sexist violence in Catalonia, seven of whom were of legal age and one was a baby. Only two had reported thei situation to the police. The Mossos d'Esquadra have received 10,968 complaints of gender violence up to October this year, 3.5% moe than the same period last year. Complaints for juvenile gender violence have also increased by 11.1% in 2017 compared to 2016, with a total of 741 victims.