The ceasefire is already in effect and, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, the war in Gaza is completely over. Yet despite that — and even as those being killed in the Strip now are Hamas opponents executed by the terror group in shocking public displays — pro-Palestinian activists in Europe continue to protest against Israel. On Wednesday night, demonstrators once again rioted in Barcelona, clashing with police who arrested 15 people, 11 of them minors, according to reports.
Riots in Barcelona: pro-Palestinian protesters vandalize stores and clash with police
(Video: Reuters)
Two major anti-Israel demonstrations were held in Spain on Saturday, one in Madrid and one in Barcelona, with protesters demanding an end to what they called “genocide” in Gaza and to “colonialism," a slogan widely interpreted as a call for Israel’s destruction, portraying it as a foreign colonial project in the Middle East.
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'Palestinians are still being killed, we’ll keep fighting'
(Photo: Joan Mateu Parra/ AP)
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A Starbucks branch also was targeted by the masked rioters
(Photo: Joan Mateu Parra/ AP)
In Barcelona, demonstrators carried signs reading: “Down with the state of Israel, stop the imperialist genocide” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will win.”
“I think it’s very important to take to the streets because even though it looks like there’s a peace agreement, we don’t know what will happen,” said Marta Tejedor, 55, who joined the mass protest in Barcelona. “The situation is still unstable, Palestinians are still being killed. There’s no guarantee there will be a Palestinian state, and we have to keep fighting for that,” she told Reuters.
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Riots at a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protest in Barcelona, Spain
(Photo: Albert Gea/ Reuters)
The demonstration began after earlier clashes between anti-Israel activists and Catalan police outside the hotel where players of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team were staying. Police dispersed the crowd with tear gas.
As protesters later marched toward the Israeli consulate, violence broke out again. Rioters launched fireworks and threw burning objects at police, set trash bins on fire, and used them as makeshift barricades. Many wore masks as they vandalized McDonald’s, Burger King and Starbucks locations, smashing windows with kicks and sticks and spray-painting anti-Israel graffiti.
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'Let’s topple the state of Israel. Stop the imperialist genocide'
(Photo: Albert Gea/ Reuters)
According to the newspaper El Mundo, the rioters also broke the window of a bank branch and damaged an insurance company office. The outlet reported that the Burger King branch sustained significant damage and that the riots caused “traffic chaos” in central Barcelona.
These demonstrations are part of a wave of anti-Israel protests across Europe and other Western countries, from Australia to Canada, that have become large-scale displays of pressure on Israel. Analysts say they have influenced recent decisions by the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and others to recognize a Palestinian state.
In Spain, the country’s left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been one of the loudest supporters of the pro-Palestinian movement. Last month, he sparked outrage at home after praising demonstrators even following violent riots that disrupted the La Vuelta cycling race.