Anti-Israel activists riot in Barcelona despite Gaza ceasefire

Masked anti-Israel activists rioted in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, despite the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The activists vandalized Starbucks, McDonald’s, and several banks, clashed with police officers, smashed windows, and sprayed anti-Israel slogans on buildings.

Police responded with tear gas and arrested 15 suspects. Demonstrators carried signs calling for Israel’s destruction, including slogans such as “Down with the State of Israel," "Stop the Imperialist Genocide,” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will win.”

One resident, Marta Tejedor (55), explained why she decided to join the anti-Israel protest.

“I think it’s very important to take to the streets because even though it looks like there’s a peace agreement, we don’t know what will happen,” Tejedor said in an interview with Reuters.

“The situation is still unstable, Palestinians are still being killed. There’s no guarantee there will be a Palestinian state, and we have to keep fighting for that,” she added.

The violent protests and riots in Spain are the latest in a series of anti-Israel demonstrations across the Western world. On Tuesday, anti-Israel activists rallied in the Italian city of Udine against a FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Italy and Israel held there. Udine Mayor Alberto Felice De Toni condemned the protesters who resorted to violence in the streets.

"What happened tonight is unacceptable. Our city strongly condemns the violence that took place in the streets at the end of the demonstration," De Toni said.

The current Spanish left-wing government has emerged as one of Israel’s harshest critics in the European Union.

In May, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez became the first top European leader to publicly call Israel a “genocidal state.”

“We don’t trade with a genocidal state. We don’t. I believe I explained from this platform the other day what we’re talking about, when some statements were made that weren’t true,” Sánchez stated during a debate in the Spanish Parliament.

In May 2024, Spain unilaterally recognized a “Palestinian state.” Sánchez said the decision was designed to advance peace, despite criticism from Israel that it rewarded Hamas for the atrocities committed on Oct. 7.

In addition, Spain’s Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz sparked controversy by publicly using the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a phrase widely regarded as a call for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Then-Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz strongly condemned Spain, and especially Díaz, for joining Israel’s genocidal enemies, writing on 𝕏: “Khamenei, Sinwar and the Vice Premier of Spain Yolanda Díaz call for the disappearance of the State of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian Islamic terrorist state from the river to the sea.”

In August, anti-Israel protesters blocked the route of Israeli cyclists during the Vuelta a España bike race.

The Israeli biking team responded by stating that it “absolutely condemns the dangerous acts of the protesters on stage 5 of the Vuelta a España, which not only compromised the safety of our riders, race personnel, but the protesters themselves.” The Israeli cyclists decided to drop the word “Israel” from their jerseys to reduce tensions with the anti-Israel activists, however, the final stage of the race in Madrid was subsequently canceled.