Some 15,000 people marched through the streets of Barcelona in protest against Israel’s actions, chanting slogans such as “Gaza, you are not alone”, “Boycott Israel”, and “Freedom for Palestine”, according to the municipal police in Spain’s second-largest city.

 

The demonstrations came in the wake of Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla on 2 October. The flotilla, a civilian-led initiative aiming to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, was stopped by Israeli forces. Over 400 activists aboard 41 boats were detained, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

 

Political leaders and activists aboard the vessels were arrested and taken into custody at the Israeli port of Ashdod. The final vessel, The Marinette, which had suffered mechanical issues and lagged behind the main flotilla, was intercepted the following day.

 

The flotilla’s mission has drawn widespread international condemnation. Protesters across Europe and beyond rallied against Israel’s actions, calling on their governments to impose sanctions and take diplomatic action.

 

In Spain, thousands marched in Madrid, Bilbao, Seville, and Valencia. A similar outpouring of solidarity was seen in Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, and Brussels, where some 3,000 demonstrators gathered outside the European Parliament building, urging the EU to “break the siege” as smoke bombs were set off in the crowd.

 

In Paris, around 1,000 demonstrators filled Place de la République, while in Marseille, roughly 100 protesters were arrested after attempting to block access to the offices of weapons manufacturer Eurolinks, which has been accused of selling military components to Israel.

 

In Italy, a general strike was called by major trade unions in solidarity with the flotilla. On 3 October, thousands took to the streets, urging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to support the detained activists. “We are prepared to block everything. The genocidal machine must stop immediately,” protesters chanted.

 

Elsewhere, protests erupted in London, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Karachi, Athens, and Kuala Lumpur. In Malaysia’s capital, demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy, condemning Israel’s key ally for its support of the blockade.

 

Diplomatic fallout

 

Colombia expelled all remaining Israeli diplomats and cancelled a trade agreement, while Turkey labelled Israel’s detention of the activists “an act of terrorism”.

 

In Spain, Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz described the flotilla raid as “a crime against international law” and demanded the immediate release of those detained. Writing on Bluesky, she called on the European Union to “break off relations with Israel right now”.

 

Spain’s foreign ministry echoed these sentiments in a statement, describing the flotilla as “a peaceful and humanitarian civil society initiative” and calling for the safety and rights of Spanish citizens on board to be respected. The statement concluded: “Spain will continue to demand an end to the war in Gaza, the massive entry of humanitarian aid, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the implementation of the two-state solution: Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace and security.”

 

The UK Foreign Office expressed “serious concern” over Israel’s actions, stating it was in contact with the families of several British nationals aboard the flotilla. “The aid carried by the flotilla should be turned over to humanitarian organisations on the ground to be delivered safely into Gaza,” the statement read.

 

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

 

The Global Sumud Flotilla maintains that it is a peaceful, unarmed effort to deliver essential supplies and to raise awareness of the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The activists say their mission is to open a humanitarian maritime corridor and break the siege imposed on the territory since 2007, when Hamas took control.

 

The situation in Gaza has dramatically worsened since the start of the latest conflict, which erupted following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. According to Gaza’s health authorities, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed. A UN-backed panel of food experts has reported famine conditions in the enclave, findings that Israel has rejected.

 

Israel’s restrictions on goods entering Gaza have become increasingly severe during the ongoing war. In recent days, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that four Italian activists have been deported, with procedures underway to deport the remaining participants.

 

Protests in support of the flotilla and in opposition to the war in Gaza continue to grow around the globe.