Spain's King Felipe VI (C) stands between Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (L) and President of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont (R) during a march against terrorism which slogan will be #NoTincPor (I'm Not Afraid) in Barcelona on August 26, 2017, following the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks killing 15 people and injuring over 100.(AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE)
BARCELONA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people demonstrated in Barcelona on Saturday against terrorism under the motto "No tinc por" (I am not afraid), after the attacks in Spain that killed 15 people and injured more than 100 others.
Placards of "I am not afraid", "We want peace, not arm sales", "The best answer is peace", "Their wars, our death" were showed by more than 500,000 people through the streets of Barcelona, according to local police.
The demonstration started at 6:00 p.m. local time (1600 GTM) at Jardinets de Gracia, was planned to go through the famous street Passeig de Gracia and finish at Placa Catalunya, the square just before the Ramblas, the iconic street where the first attack took place in which a van killed 13 people and injured over 100.
At Placa Catalunya, Catalan actress Rosa Maria Sarda and Miriam Hatibi, spokeswoman for Ibn Battuta foundation, made a joint speech. They said they were proud of the rapid response of emergency services and citizens that show solidarity, adding that love wins above hate.
"We are millions of people refusing violence and defending coexistence in Manchester and in Nairobi, in Paris and in Bagdad, in Brussels and New York, in Berlin and in Kabul", Sarda said.
In Ripoll where the 12-people cell behind the attacks were allegedly formed, a demonstration against terrorism was also held at the same time as in Barcelona. Hafida Oukabir, sister of Moussa Oukabir (one of the five men shot dead after stabbing pedestrians in Cambrils) and Driss Oukabir (arrested) made an emotional speech, saying that "we have to work together so that this will not happen again", adding that "we have to be self-critical and change many things".
On Friday, another demonstration was also held in Cambrils where a woman was killed and five people were injured, with the participation of more than 16,000 people, according to local police.
Barcelona's demonstration was led by members of the civil society, emergency and health services, regional and national police as well as people who helped those affected by the attacks. They were followed by the families' victims.
Spanish King Felipe VI, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, as well as Catalan authorities such as the president of the regional government Carles Puigdemont, were also attending the demonstration.
