Barcelona and Madrid, among other Spanish cities, have taken to the streets again today to call for an end "to the genocide in Palestine." Some 4,500 people, according to estimates by the Urban Guard, have participated in the demonstration in the center of Barcelona called with the slogan "Aturem el genocidi a Palestine" (Let's stop the genocide in Palestine).
The demonstration, which took place along Paseo de Gràcia in the Catalan capital, also served to ask European governments to stop selling weapons to Israel, as explained by spokespersons for the Palestinian community and pro-Palestinian Catalan entities.
The protesters, many of whom carried Palestinian flags or the traditional Palestinian headscarf, displayed banners during the march with slogans such as "Prou comerç d'armes amb Israel" (Stop arms trade with Israel) or "War criminals. Not welcome" (War criminals, not welcome).
To denounce what they consider to be a genocide by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, various packages placed in white bags stained with red paint have been exhibited, in order to recreate the corpses of children that accumulate in the Palestinian territory as a consequence. of Israel's attacks.
The former mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, president of the Barcelona en Comú group, has participated in this mobilization, also called in many other Spanish cities.
In statements to journalists, Colau called for "not normalizing the genocide in the Gaza Strip" and called for a "total arms embargo" on Israel and "suspending all relations" with this State.
He has also considered it a "shame and a great hypocrisy" that the MWC vetoed Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and instead allowed the presence of Israel in this technological event, and explained that he will not attend the opening of the aforementioned technology congress tomorrow. mobile phone, the largest in the world, in protest of this difference in criteria.
Since October 7, when the war in the Gaza Strip began, more than 29,000 people have died in that enclave, according to the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas.
Meanwhile, a new demonstration for Gaza in Madrid has called for a "stop to the genocide in Palestine", in which dozens of people have participated although without the presence of ministers, as happened last week when members of Sumar joined the march in the Government and the socialist minister Óscar Puente.
On this occasion, the general secretary of Podemos, Ione Belarra, also participated in the demonstration, like last Saturday, leading a representation of her party that made the journey with its own banner.
Under the slogan "Let's stop the genocide in Palestine. End the arms trade and relations with Israel", the protesters led by a large banner that read "Stop the genocide in Palestine. Long live the struggle of the Palestinian people!" They have demanded a ceasefire and have denounced that "there is still much to do."
"Horrible, the truth is that every day (the situation is) worse and nothing is being done about it. I think there is still a lot to do... It is a genocide, in every way. There are more than 30,000 dead already, it is crazy," said a woman present who also highlighted that she is of Syrian origin and that "the fight is in her blood," just like her people.
Specifically, BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel) and the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine have organized this demonstration from Atocha to Plaza de España in support of Palestine, and to call for an end to the arms trade and relations with Israel. This mobilization in support of Palestine has been repeated in more than 100 municipalities in Spain.
The leader and deputy of Podemos has highlighted in statements to the media that this Sunday, "once again", they are mobilizing "along with thousands of people who continue to demand the end of the genocide that Israel is committing against the Palestinian people."
Belarra recalled that "they are not going to stop until this genocide ends" and that this week Podemos is going to take to the Congress of Deputies the vote on the arms embargo, the purchase, sale and transportation of weapons, and also on the suspension of diplomatic relations with Israel.
That is why Belarra has asked all political forces to listen to the clamor in the streets, to the thousands of people who are mobilizing to demand an end to the genocide and that this coming Tuesday, when their initiative is voted on, "put Spain on the right side of history. "This vote is absolutely key," he recalled.
On February 17, the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, the Vice President Yolanda Díaz and the other four ministers of Sumar were present at the demonstration that also took place in the center of Madrid to show their support for Palestine and demand the end of the war in Gaza and the "impunity" with which, according to the organizers, Israel is acting, which they accuse of causing "a genocide."
In Zaragoza, more than 3,000 people have participated in a concentration-performance that has been developed under the slogan “Let's Stop the Genocide in Palestine” and in which a human flag of Palestine has been built.
