70,000 people demonstrate in Barcelona against 'genocide' in Palestine

Under the chant "Aturem el genocidi a Palestina" (let's stop the genocide in Palestine), 70,000 people demonstrated down Passeig de Gràcia boulevard, in the city center of Barcelona, on Saturday at 6 pm, according to organizers, and 19,000 according to local Guàrdia Urbana police.

During the rally, many raised their voices against the war in Israel and Palestine. They urged European Union leaders to impose an immediate ceasefire in the region and to stop arms deals with Israel. One of the loudest moments was when the head of the rally walked in front of the European Commission office in Barcelona, just in front of famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí’s La Pedrera.

Some of the other demands of the protesters included opening a humanitarian aid corridor to allow food and medicines to enter Gaza, as well as urging the European Union to sanction Israel to put an end to "occupation, colonialism, and apartheid to Palestinians, allowing the return of eight million refugees," a manifesto signed by over 300 organizations read.

Among the main chants were: “Free, free Palestine!” “Boycott Israel" and others in Arabic. The speaker talked about the European Commission president, Ursula Von Der Leyen, who was booed on what they consider two different positions of the leader comparing the situation in Ukraine and Palestine.

After walking for around 1.5 hours, the march reached the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes with Passeig de Gràcia boulevard, where the manifesto was read.

Their main request was for the war in Palestine to stop. Still, they also addressed international and national authorities, such as the European Union, the Spanish government, and the Catalan government.

Organizers want Catalonia's Trade and investment offices to stop considering Israel a "key region."

Meanwhile, the manifesto asked for Barcelona City Council to break ties with Israel and end the twin cities agreement between Tel Aviv and the Catalan capital, something which was temporarily in place during the last months of former mayor Ada Colau's mandate, but the current leader, Jaume Collboni, restored.

“We reject the story saying that everything started on October 7, as it all started on May 15, 1948,” Nour Torrelló, one of the speakers, said to the thousands of people listening from Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia, who was met with cheers.

It has been “75 years since an ethnic cleansing started in Palestine led by Israel in slow motion," Torrelló said. "It is a shame that our leaders continue to justify such genocide perpetrated by Israel.”

“We will not allow our families to be counted as mere numbers. We have a right to life in dignity and to freely live in our home,” she added, before concluding with: “We say no to apartheid.”