More than 4,000 protesters march on Malaga to demand 'peace and justice' for Palestine and release of aid flotilla activists
Unlike the impromptu rally in the capital of the Costa del Sol on Thursday, Saturday's march for Palestine was held in numerous cities across Spain
A second protest against the actions of the Israeli government took over the streets of Malaga city at the weekend, less than 48 hours after the previous demonstration on 1 October. Unlike the impromptu rally on Thursday, the Saturday march for Palestine took place in numerous cities across Spain.
According to SUR sources, more than 4,000 people of all ages marched through the streets of the Costa del Sol capital to demand, for the umpteenth time, an end to the "genocide" in Gaza, a total arms embargo on Israel and the cutting off of all relations with the state and its companies. However, another demand was chanted on Saturday and that was the release of the Freedom Flotilla activists, including Rafael Borrego y Manolo Garcí from Malaga, who were imprisoned by the Israeli government on their way to take humanitarian aid to Gaza.
"The world is watching; we must intensify our opposition. Every day counts and Palestine cannot wait another minute. We need to end the complicity of governments and companies with Israel because this is what maintains the impunity of its crimes," said the protest spokespersons, who read out their manifesto in the Plaza de la Constitución after almost two hours of walking through the historic centre. For the first time, the proclamations included a call for a general strike for Palestine.
The demonstration left the Plaza de la Merceda at midday and went along Calle Alcazabilla, the Pintor Nogales crossing and the Paseo del Parque, which was closed to westbound traffic during its passage. After passing through the Plaza de la Marina, the crowd made its way along Calle Larios, filling the street from bottom to top until it reached the Plaza de la Constitución around 2pm.
The protesters carried banners signed by different left-wing parties and social collectives, from Amnesty International to Málaga por Palestina, Izquierda Unida, Podemos, Partido Comunista, Izquierda Revolucionaria, Comisiones Obreras, the Movimiento Vecinal Parque del Oeste, the Asociación Al Quds and the Sindicato de Estudiantes.
Among the protesters were spokesperson for the socialist PSOE party in Malaga city council Dani Pérez, PSOE councillor Begoña Medina, Con Málaga councillor Toni Morillas, IU regional coordinator Toni Valero and Podemos Málaga councillor Nico Sguiglia. Morillas repeated their demands and gave an update on the conditions under which the flotilla activists were being held. "Yesterday we learned that they have been put in an Israeli prison. We also saw a shocking video of one of the Israeli ministers saying that they were going to be treated as terrorists," she said, adding that it is the actions of the Israeli government that are consistent with a terrorist treatment. Morillas stated that the hostages are held illegally. "We therefore demand that Israel complies with international law and immediately releases the hostages," Toni Valero added.
Donald Trump's peace plan
The turn of events taking place under Donald Trump's pressure, with Hamas agreeing to release the hostages and Israel saying it will halt the bombings in Gaza, does not convince the demonstrators. "Palestine doesn't just need peace - it needs justice," they stated with their manifesto.
The one thing they deemed positive was the "resumption of dialogue". However, they insisted that the Israeli army stop the occupation of Palestine and that Benjamin Netanyahu be brought before the International Criminal Court. Given that these two conditions are not fulfilled, the protesters stated that the imposition of the US "does not respect the rights of the Palestinian people, who are absolutely defenceless". The protest spokespersons urged the international community "not to allow the US to provide Netanyahu" with a "bridge to implement his plan to expel the Palestinian people".
The manifesto also criticised mayor of Malaga Francisco de la Torre's silence in the face of the massacre committed in Gaza. "We urge our mayor and the city council to condemn the genocide and break off relations with Israeli funds," said one of the spokespersons. The crowd in the Plaza de la Constitución shouted: "Paco de la Torre, accomplice."
