Barcelona Erupts In Violence As National Palestine Strike Turns Chaotic

BARCELONA was thrown into chaos and 15 protesters were arrested connected Wednesday, October 15, arsenic nan union-scheduled wide nationalist onslaught successful solidarity pinch Palestine turned violent. Fires were set, carrier was stalled, shop windows were smashed, and protesters fought pinch riot constabulary arsenic nan sun group connected nan 24-hour protest. 

Spain’s wide protest, successful hubs crossed nan country

The protest, which marched successful awesome hubs each crossed Spain against nan genocide successful Palestine, had been announced since precocious September and continued distant contempt a ceasefire statement betwixt Hamas and Israel signed connected Monday, October 13. Citing that lasting bid has not yet been reached, nan CC OO and UGT unions decided to proceed distant pinch nan scheduled onslaught successful which each workers and students had a correct to participate. Demonstrators pointed retired that nan ceasefire does not compensate for nan demolition caused by nan conflict.

Barcelona onslaught turns sour

However, successful nan Catalan superior of Barcelona, things quickly spiralled retired of power erstwhile nan protestation turned violent, pinch vehicles being group aflame, capsicum spray being utilized by nan riot constabulary onto nan protesters, and awesome roads were blocked. A full of 15 protesters were arrested. The riots were chiefly concentrated successful Sants and successful Manresa.

In Plaça Universitat successful nan metropolis centre, thousands of students blocked postulation successful solidarity. Cars were diverted and streets were blocked off.

The onslaught besides coincided pinch nan Israeli Hapoel Jerusalem hoops team, who were playing successful Barcelona against Baxi Manresa. Around 20 to 30 protesters attempted to artifact nan team’s autobus from moving by sitting successful nan mediate of nan road. Riot constabulary initially fto them sit, but aft immoderate time, pushed backmost against nan protesters pinch batons and capsicum spray. Despite nan protests, nan hoops squad was still capable to scope nan stadium and play.

At astir 4:45pm, crowds formed adjacent 1 of Barcelona’s main stations, Sants Estació, holding up banners that read: “From nan stream to nan sea, Palestine will beryllium free!” The incidents ignited tensions up of nan scheduled march, which was owed to statesman astatine 6:00pm.

Scheduled march descends into chaos: shops vandalised and protesters struck pinch batons

During nan march, successful Sants on Carrer de Tarragona, protesters began to vandalise stores of awesome corporations including McDonald’s and Burger King, claiming they were complicit successful nan Palestinian genocide. Rioters threw debris, smashed shop windows, and group disconnected flares. The astir aggravated rioting took spot extracurricular of nan Israeli consulate of Barcelona astatine astir 8:00pm, wherever bins were group ablaze and riot constabulary were utilizing batons connected protesters trying to participate nan building.

Trains, buses, and metro services were thrown into chaos and wholly stalled successful immoderate areas of nan city, owed to nan strength of nan situation.

Not only this, emergency services confirmed they needed to dainty a number of injured protesters connected site.

Grand mostly of demonstrators peaceful

Despite nan strength successful immoderate concentrated areas of Barcelona, nan unit was constricted to a mini minority. The mostly of nan demonstrators completed nan march peacefully. According to section constabulary Guàrdia Urbana, nan full number of group who took to nan streets for nan onslaught was astir 13,000. Organisers opportunity it was person to 50,000 for nan full of nan city. In summation to transport services, wellness and acquisition institutions were besides affected, pinch nan brunt of their labor taking nan time to participate successful nan strike. Essential workers and managers stayed down to execute basal services.

All crossed Spain, much than 500 workplace national branches, arsenic good arsenic astir 50 societal and labour organisations joined successful nan cause.

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