Cairo, Egypt – Mass protests took place in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday in front of the Israeli consulate. This protest came in condemnation of the Israeli Navy’s interception of the “Global Resilience” flotilla, known as the Freedom Flotilla. The flotilla was en route to the Gaza Strip, approximately 100 nautical miles from the coast.
The flotilla organizers confirmed that Israeli forces boarded two of its vessels, one of which was carrying former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau. This sparked public outrage in the city.
The Spanish newspaper El Periodico reported that protesters blocked the main Ronda del Mig road. Meanwhile, Catalan authorities deployed Civil Guard and local police units to cordon off the protest site. The newspaper explained that police forces (Primo) repelled the protesters’ attempts to advance toward the consulate.
For its part, the Flotilla organization called for continued popular movements. It also announced a new demonstration this evening in Barcelona’s Plaça de la Carbonera. The goal is to demand the release of those detained by Israel and to emphasize the growing calls for a boycott of Tel Aviv.
These protests come as the flotilla announced that hundreds of participating volunteers are still being held by Israeli authorities. These volunteers hail from more than 40 countries, heightening international tensions around the issue.
