A major concert titled “Solidarity with Palestine” held Thursday night at the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona drew thousands of attendees and triggered outrage from the local Jewish community, which sees the event as a dangerous escalation in public antisemitism.
Political Messaging and Provocations
The event featured internationally renowned artists, including Spanish pop stars Rosalía and Bad Gyal. Massive screens displayed images portraying the entire map of Israel as “Palestine,” and the crowd erupted in cheers to slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea”, a chant widely interpreted as a call for the elimination of the State of Israel.
Video segments during the concert depicted Israel as solely responsible for recent violence and suffering in the region, while erasing the context of October 7 or the role of Hamas and other militant groups.
Presence of Political Figures and Celebrities
A notable appearance came from the son of convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who took the stage to demand his father’s release from Israeli prison, drawing standing ovations. Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola also participated, delivering a speech while wearing a keffiyeh.
“I stand with Palestine. Children are left alone and we are doing nothing to help them,” Guardiola said.
The event concluded with calls to continue protesting against Israel and appeals for donations. Organizers claimed that all proceeds would go toward rebuilding cultural programs in Gaza and the West Bank.
Jewish Community Alarmed
Barcelona’s Jewish community expressed alarm, saying the concert crossed a line from criticism into open incitement and delegitimization.
“This wasn’t just solidarity, it was an outright denial of Israel’s right to exist,” said local representatives. “The city council’s open alignment with anti-Israel forces is worsening the situation and giving legitimacy to hate.”
The display of maps erasing Israel and slogans associated with terrorist ideologies has prompted fears of normalization of antisemitism under the guise of activism. Community leaders are now calling for municipal accountability and greater safeguards against hate speech.
This event comes amid a broader rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe since the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with Jewish communities increasingly under pressure from a wave of anti-Israel rhetoric that often blurs into antisemitism.
