The façade of Barcelona City Hall bore two striking banners on Sunday, declaring solidarity with the Palestinian people. The messages — ‘Stop the genocidal government of Israel’ and ‘Solidarity with the flotilla’ — were unveiled early in the morning and remained visible throughout the day’s castellera events in Plaça de Sant Jaume, part of the La Mercè festivities.
The decision was agreed on Friday by the municipal groups of PSC, Junts, Comuns and ERC. Their aim was to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza and show support for the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Crete the same day on its way to Gaza. Among those aboard are former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and ERC councillor Jordi Coronas.
The move has sparked political division. The PP condemned the banners as a ‘flagrant breach’ of institutional neutrality and announced it will pursue legal and political action to ensure City Hall respects impartiality.
Meanwhile, the flotilla itself comprises 43 ships carrying around 500 activists from 48 countries, including 50 Spanish nationals. Organisers warn they are entering a high-risk zone after enduring earlier Israeli attacks.
The banners, highly visible at the heart of the city’s main civic stage, underline Barcelona’s increasingly assertive stance on international issues, even as critics accuse the council of overstepping its institutional role.
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