Around fifty demonstrators gathered in the historic Pla de la Seu in front of the Barcelona Cathedral on Saturday afternoon to protest against escalating international military attacks on Iran. The event, organised by the anti-war platform ‘Aturar la Guerra’ (Stop the War), was part of a coordinated day of action that saw 150 similar protests take place simultaneously across Spain.
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According to municipal sources cited by Europa Press, the crowd gathered under the unified call that “it is necessary to stop the war in the Middle East,” a message that explicitly included the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
A Manifesto for Self-Determination
Nuria Suárez, the platform’s spokesperson in Catalonia, stressed the need for a revived pacifist movement. She drew parallels between the current situation and the initial response to the Gaza conflict. “In Gaza, the fight against genocide also started little by little and grew,” Suárez told reporters. “We must defend the freedom of all peoples against the aggressions of powers that disregard international law.”
Filmmaker Chelo Álvarez-Stehle delivered a central manifesto, reportedly endorsed by over 200 public figures, as a key part of the demonstration. The text condemned the military offensive against Iran, arguing it is “destroying the world.” While the platform also stated its opposition to the Ayatollah regime, it firmly rejected foreign intervention.
“External military intervention is unacceptable when it is the Iranian people who must decide their future,” the manifesto declared.
Metrópoli Abierta reported that actress Viky Peña also read a manifesto supporting women’s human rights in Iraq. Furthermore, Pepe Álvarez, General Secretary of the UGT union, condemned recent attacks by Israel and the United States.
Echoes of Wider Regional Conflict
The protest was not limited to the situation in Iran. Attendees chanted slogans demanding a “free Palestine” and called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US President Donald Trump to be brought before the International Criminal Court.
The demonstration reflects a growing unease in Barcelona over the widening conflict in the Middle East. The sentiment on the streets echoes concerns in the corridors of power, where Socialist leader Salvador Illa recently called a summit to discuss the economic threats posed by the war. Local business leaders have also voiced their fears, particularly regarding the conflict’s potential toll on small and medium-sized enterprises in Catalonia.
This anti-war stance has deep roots in the city. The protest on Saturday is the latest in a series of public demonstrations, including the recent International Women’s Day marches which also featured strong anti-war themes. It taps into a long-standing local tradition of pacifism, a social phenomenon that has defined Barcelona’s ‘no to war’ legacy since the enormous protests against the Iraq War over two decades ago.
