Protests marked the opening day of Barcelona’s annual Saló de l’Ensenyament (Education Fair) on Wednesday. Dozens of activists gathered to denounce a Spanish army recruitment stand at the event. Organised by the Plataforma Desmilitaritzem l’Educació (Demilitarise Education Platform), the demonstration argued that a military presence clashes with the fair’s educational ethos.
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The protest took place at the Fira de Barcelona’s historic Montjuïc venue, a location central to city life. This venue is currently slated for a major revamp ahead of its 2029 centenary. Around fifty people participated in the peaceful, half-hour action, which has become a recurring feature of the fair’s opening day for over a decade.
‘Not Education but Recruitment’
Protesters held a large banner reading, “10 years of non-compliance. Weapons do not educate, weapons kill,” while chanting slogans like “military assassins” and “army out of school.” Supported by the CGT and USTEC trade unions, the demonstration highlighted a fundamental contradiction.
“This is not education but recruitment,” Jordi Muñoz, a platform spokesperson, told reporters, as reported by news outlet VilaWeb. He argued that the fair offers the military an inappropriate platform to attract young people. “The stand is stained with blood,” Muñoz added, stressing the perceived incompatibility between educational values and those promoted by the armed forces.
Muñoz criticised using violence as a solution, especially given current global conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He stated, “The civilian population is the main victim. If we want peace, we have to build it.”
In a moment of political theatre, some protesters wore masks depicting international figures such as Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, and threw handfuls of fake 100 euro bills into the air.
Calls for Political Accountability
Activists’ central grievance is the continued failure of local and regional governments to act on their own resolutions. Muñoz reminded the public that both the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) and the Barcelona City Council had previously passed motions against the military’s participation in the educational fair.
He accused both bodies of again allowing “the presence of the military,” urging them to “finally comply” with the democratically approved resolutions. According to a 20 Minutos report, the campaign to remove the army from the fair has been active for over 15 years.
The issue gained prominence in 2016 when then-Mayor Ada Colau approached military officials at the fair. She told them she preferred their absence, citing the need to “separate spaces.” While reportedly cordial, the exchange underscored the long-standing political debate over the military’s role in Barcelona’s civilian events.
The Saló de l’Ensenyament runs until Sunday, continuing to draw many students exploring future career paths, with particular interest this year in vocational training. However, activists contend that the Spanish Ministry of Defence’s booth remains a contentious issue, overshadowing the event’s core mission.
