“Gaza, Gaza, You’re Not Alone”: 600 Voices Rally in Puerto del Rosario Against Genocide in Palestine
Around 600 people marched on Saturday in Puerto del Rosario demanding an end to the genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza. The demonstration started just after 6:15 p.m. from the fountain in the town’s main square and followed the seafront avenue to Playa Chica. Along the route participants displayed and shouted a series of slogans, including:
- “Stop the genocide in Palestine”
- “Free, free Palestine”
- “Netanyahu, criminal, to the criminal court”
- “Peace with justice and dignity for Palestine”
- “Palestine will win”
- “Israel murders, Europe sponsors”
“Stop the genocide”
Marco Rodríguez, spokesperson for Canarias por Palestina, explained that the protest aims to add the voice of Fuerteventura – and of the Canary Islands – to the worldwide outcry for Palestine, for an immediate cease‑fire and for a just, dignified peace for the Palestinian people.
“The citizens are doing their part,” Rodríguez told this outlet, emphasizing that millions of people around the world now stand with Palestine. “Israel has completely lost the battle for public opinion because it behaves like a terrorist and genocidal state.”
He urged the public to keep demonstrating, stressing that pressure works:
“If governments respond to the general interest of their citizens, it is clear that they must now take the step forward, and we will keep pressing as hard as we can.”
Empty shoes, countless victims: mostly children, women and the elderly
After completing the march, demonstrators reached the historic Horno de Cal, where they were met by a striking installation of dozens of empty children’s shoes lined on the ground. The organizers said the display symbolised the thousands of lives cut short in Gaza, “mostly children, women and the elderly.”
“We need to look at those empty shoes,” Rodríguez explained. “If we do not want to keep consuming horrific images, at least remember that those shoes once belonged to people with rights and dignity, just like us.”
A large Palestinian flag was unfurled over the Horno de Cal, and the manifesto was read aloud.
Reaching the end of the route
Following the chants, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the “martyrs.” In a moving moment, the names of some of the thousands of victims were read aloud. The manifesto then called on the international community for:
- An immediate and unconditional cease‑fire
- Massive humanitarian aid coordinated by the United Nations
It also demanded that the Spanish Government and Parliament enact the immediate end of arms and military‑technology trade with Israel, the severing of diplomatic, academic, sporting and cultural ties, and the imposition of international sanctions.
The text further urged support for South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice and for investigations of genocide at the International Criminal Court.