Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of central Barcelona on Sunday for International Women’s Day, with a resounding message against war, fascism, and rising far-right ideologies. The city’s main demonstration, organised by the Assemblea 8M collective, drew an estimated 22,000 participants, according to the Guàrdia Urbana (city police).

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However, for the second consecutive year, the feminist movement marched separately, reflecting a persistent ideological schism. A smaller, alternative protest organised by the Moviment Feminista de Barcelona gathered around 1,400 people, focusing on what it terms a rollback of women’s rights. Both marches, unlike in previous years, took place in the morning, channelling the city’s activist energy under the early spring sun.

A Transfeminist Struggle Against a ‘Reactionary Onslaught’

The larger of the two marches set off at 11:30 AM from the Jardinets de Gràcia. Waving purple flags and carrying handmade signs, the procession moved down the grand Passeig de Gràcia and along Ronda de Sant Pere before culminating at the Arc de Triomf.

The Assemblea 8M demonstration, under the slogan ‘Against colonial and fascist imperialism: transfeminist struggle,’ centred its message on confronting a ‘global reactionary onslaught,’ as organisers described it. Chants of “Long live the feminist struggle” and “Not one step back against patriarchy” echoed through the Eixample district.

The final manifesto, read aloud at the march’s conclusion, condemned global conflicts and political policies, explicitly mentioning “the genocidal campaign in Palestine, the escalation of war in Ukraine,” and repressive regimes in Iran and Afghanistan. The statement positioned feminism as a key form of resistance to the rise of the far-right, racism, and LGTBIQA+phobia.

The event drew support from numerous political parties and institutions, including representatives from the national government and the Generalitat de Catalunya. Notable attendees included Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun and the Catalan Minister for Equality and Feminism, Eva Menor.

Divisions Over Trans Rights and Priorities

The clear division in the city’s 8M observance stems primarily from differing views on transgender rights. This split became more pronounced following the approval of Spain’s 2023 law guaranteeing LGTBI rights, commonly known as the ‘Ley Trans’.

Assemblea 8M firmly includes trans women within its feminist framework. In contrast, the Moviment Feminista de Barcelona, which describes itself as “radical feminist,” is critical of the law. They argue it erodes sex-based rights and that the mainstream movement is failing to focus on core issues. This ongoing debate has resulted in two separate marches with distinct routes and manifestos.

Starting half an hour after the main demonstration at 12:00 PM from Plaça Catalunya, the second march proceeded down Via Laietana under the banner ‘Women in struggle against violence and exploitation’.

Organisers from this group claimed the larger protest did not place sufficient emphasis on the “increase in sexual violence” and the fight against the sexual exploitation of women and girls. A tweet from the associated group Feministes de Catalunya stated they were “FED UP with being EXPLOITED!” and demanded a “DIGNIFIED, FREE, and SAFE life for all girls and women in the world.”

A City Mobilised for Change

Despite the schism, both demonstrations shared an urgent call to action against gender-based violence and inequality. The protests were part of a wider day of feminist action across Catalonia, with similar marches held in cities like Lleida and Tarragona.

The vibrant and vocal turnout in Barcelona underscores the movement’s enduring power to mobilise, even amidst internal disagreements. As the city grapples with global political anxieties, its feminists are determined to ensure their voices, in all their diversity, are heard.