In Barcelona anti-fascist coalitions are mobilising against a rally announced for Saturday, 22 August, by the campaign Save Europe Act. According to the Coordinadora Antifascista de Barcelona and the alliance Som Antifeixistes will begin its counter-rally at 18:00 at Plaça Sant Jaume – an hour before the time chosen by Save Europe Act organisers for the same location. According to the organisers’ announcements, Barcelona is the campaign’s first stop in Spain; another event is scheduled for 29 August in Madrid is planned.
Save Europe Act describes itself as a transnational project calling for a significantly more restrictive migration policy. Its central demands are “remigration” and systematic returns of people without legal residence status. The organisers are promoting their initiative as a European Citizens’ Initiative to the European Commission. The campaign has previously held events in other European cities; similar actions took place in France last weekend.
The groups involved say they are organising the counter-mobilisation in Barcelona because the announced gathering would give an organised far right a public platform and help normalise it. They are calling on people to “plantar cara”, or stand up to it resolutely. Save Europe Act’s organisers, by contrast, present their series of events as a legitimate political campaign for border protection and a fundamental reorganisation of European migration policy. Both sides thus affirm opposing aims and interpretations of the political landscape.
By Wednesday, the restrictions applying on Saturday had not been publicly detailed. In comparable situations, measures typically include separating the events by time and place, visual barriers and police action to de-escalate tensions. With two events at the same location within a short time, the city’s and police’s operational planning is likely to focus on preventing direct confrontation while safeguarding freedom of assembly.
Beyond the day itself, the campaign’s tour aims to achieve visibility across Europe. In Barcelona and Madrid, the announcements pose a test of the balance between protection from politically motivated violence and the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Whether further stops are added in Spain or dates are changed will depend on decisions by the authorities and the situation on the ground.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).