This October 1, 2025, the Global Sumud Flotilla, the humanitarian expedition leaving Barcelona that sought to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters.
Among the boats intercepted was the Sirius, where the former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, was traveling, who denounced from the ship that the detention was “illegal”, warning that they had lost communication and internet after the intervention. The mayoress has released a video that had been previously recorded in case she was arrested, as the intercepted members explain that they had to throw the phones into the sea.
The boarded boats were transferred to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where their crew members, dozens of activists from various countries, will face interrogation and, presumably, subsequent deportation. Previously, the flotilla had denounced previous harassment, the use of water cannons against some ships, interference in communications and intimidating maneuvers by Israeli Navy vessels.
Reaction in Barcelona: where are the rallies and mobilizations
The news of the assault on the flotilla and the arrest of activists with Spanish participation provoked an immediate response in the streets of several cities. In Barcelona, hundreds of people gathered the same night of October 1st in front of the Israeli Consulate to demand the release of the detainees, denounce the military intervention and show solidarity with the humanitarian mission.
These mobilizations arose spontaneously on Wednesday night, and some advanced towards the diplomatic building with partial blocking of roads such as the Ronda del Mig. The general slogan was clear: “Freedom for the activists of the flotilla”, “Gaza is not alone” and “Respect for international law”.
In addition to the spontaneous rally in front of the Israeli Consulate, a demonstration has been called for Thursday at 6pm in the Plaça de la Carbonera (at the end of Paral-lel), to demand the release of the flotilla and denounce the situation in Gaza.
These demonstrations are being replicated in several countries (the spontaneous concentration in Rome last night gathered 10,000 people), in a sign of the attention generated by the path of the solidarity flotilla towards Gaza and the rejection of a detention that has been pointed out as illegal, since it has taken place in international waters and to stop a humanitarian aid convoy, both acts prohibited by international law.