OVER 140 Muslim associations demonstrated in Barcelona's Plaça de Catalunya yesterday (Monday) condeming the terror attacks, and have announced they will join the official protest presided by the King and Queen this Saturday.
Carrying banners reading 'not in my name' in catalán – and, as in the picture, 'Barcelona is our home too' - at least 1,300 followers of Islam shouted, wept and chanted to show that the killings of 15 people by the now-disbanded DAESH cell have nothing to do with their religion or culture.
Spokeswoman for the Ibn Battuta Foundation, Miriam Hatibi, read a manifesto slamming the 'senseless and barbaric' attacks and adding that 'we have a real problem we must not hide' when 'a young person who was born in Catalunya or lived there since earliest childhood' ends up 'rebelling against his or her country'.
Sra Hatibi, in the name of Spain's Muslims, called for the community and the authorities to 'discuss clearly how to tackle the future' and 'how to include these young people' so they 'feel as though Catalunya is their home' and are able to 'reject any kind of radical or extremist messages'.
“Those of us Muslims who live in Catalunya can only thank our region for their support – thank you for coming here today, for being willing to accompany us at this hugely significant moment,”said the Chaib Association.
The 1,300-plus Muslims marched right down the Ramblas, the pedestrianised boulevard where the van attacks happened, carrying giant placards reading, 'The Muslim community against terrorism'.
Among the 140 organised groups were several Moroccan and Pakistani student associations – given that these two nationalities are the main Islamic communities in Spain – plus the High Commission for Culture and Catalunya Muslims' Federation, the Multi-cultural Muslim Youth, and the mosque congregations from Sant Feliu de Llobregat and Sant Vicens dels Horts.
Islamic followers came from Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Mollet del Vallès, Ripollet and Cerdanyola, all in the province of Barcelona.
This Saturday, August 26, Barcelona city council and the Catalunya regional government have organised a massive demonstration, to be presided by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
The march will be headed up by Catalunya's armed police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, and representatives from the emergency services.
Barcelona's mayoress Ada Colau, of Podemos, says she will not lead the throng as she does not want to steal the Mossos' and emergency workers' thunder, given that their swift actions have saved numerous lives, reduced the impact of serious injuries, and thwarted planned attacks which would have been far more tragic and widespread.
A MAN declared dead at his home in the province of Tarragona was on his way to the funeral parlour when he turned out to be alive, according to police sources.
A NEW child protection law named after a British musician living in Spain has been approved in Congress and is set to be signed off by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, June 8.
