Massive Palestinian flags are currently adorning campuses throughout Spain as students rally against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Classes have been disrupted this week as protests take place in Barcelona, Valencia, the Basque Country, and Madrid. Similar demonstrations have occurred in other European countries such as the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, and Germany.
In Amsterdam, around 125 activists were arrested by police during the dismantlement of a pro-Palestinian camp at the University of Amsterdam. However, in Spain, a country known for its support of the Palestinian cause, there has been no police intervention in the protests.
Thousands of students have joined these protests, with over 2,000 lecturers expressing their support. The ongoing demonstrations are expected to continue, with scholars at the University of Malaga planning to join in on Wednesday.
The protests first began at the University of Valencia, where students camped outside the faculty of philosophy to demand an end to Israel’s campaign in Gaza. The protests are also in response to the unprecedented incursion by Hamas on October 7th, which led to over a thousand casualties and marked a significant escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The Spanish Inter-University Network of Solidarity with Palestine has called for the university community to reject the argument that Hamas’s actions justify Israel’s blockade and attacks on Gaza. The protesters are demanding that Spain end all relations with Israel until their goals are achieved.
These demonstrations are seen as a response to recent student protests in the United States, and they highlight the important role that student movements have played in advocating for social change in Spain throughout history.