MADRID: Eight people were arrested and 20 police officers injured in clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and police in Barcelona, police said on Sunday.
Demonstrators vandalized shops, which they claimed had links to Israel, during a mainly peaceful march of 70,000 protesters on Saturday, police said.
Tens of thousands took part in protests in Madrid and scores of other Spanish cities as well as demonstrations in Rome and Lisbon amid anger after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud aid flotilla that had set sail from Barcelona, trying to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.
Out of the 49 Spaniards who were detained by Israeli forces on the aid flotilla, 21 will fly back to Spain from Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spanish television RTVE.
Spain, which recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, last month banned ships and aircraft delivering weapons or military-grade jet fuel to Israel.
Eight arrested, 20 police hurt in clashes at Spanish Palestine march
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Eight arrested, 20 police hurt in clashes at Spanish Palestine march
- Spanish demonstrations joined those in Rome and Lisbon amid anger after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud aid flotilla
- Out of the 49 Spaniards who were detained by Israeli forces on the aid flotilla, 21 will fly back to Spain from Tel Aviv on Sunday
Nigeria seeks French help to combat insecurity, says Macron
- African country has witnessed violence and mass kidnappings from schools
LAGOS: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has sought more help from France to fight widespread violence in the north of the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday, weeks after the United States threatened to intervene to protect Nigeria’s Christians.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has witnessed an upsurge in attacks in volatile northern areas in the past month, including mass kidnappings from schools and a church.
US President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of possible military action in Nigeria, accusing it of mistreating Christians. The government says the allegations misrepresent a complex security situation in which armed groups target both faith groups.
FASTFACTS
• US President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of possible military action in Nigeria, accusing it of mistreating Christians.
• The government says the allegations misrepresent a complex security situation in which armed groups target both faith groups.
Macron said he had a phone call with Tinubu on Sunday, where he conveyed France’s support to Nigeria as it grapples with several security challenges, “particularly the terrorist threat in the North.”
“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement,” Macron said in a post on X.
Macron did not say what help would be offered by France, which has withdrawn its troops from West and Central Africa and plans to focus on training, intelligence sharing and responding to requests from countries for assistance.
Nigeria is grappling with a long-running insurgency in the northeast, armed kidnapping gangs in the northwest and deadly clashes between largely Muslim cattle herders and mostly Christian farmers in the central parts of the country, stretching its security forces.
Washington said last month that it was considering actions such as sanctions and Pentagon engagement on counterterrorism as part of a plan to compel Nigeria to better protect its Christian communities.
The Nigerian government has said it welcomes help to fight insecurity as long as its sovereignty is respected. France has previously supported efforts to curtail the actions of armed groups, the US has shared intelligence and sold arms, including fighter jets, and Britain has trained Nigerian troops.
