A friendly match in Barcelona between Catalonia and Palestine.
Spanish fans rally against 'Israeli' teams in EuroLeague
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Pro‑Palestine activists in Barcelona escalate calls to ban 'Israeli' teams from international sports.
- EuroLeague game played behind closed doors amid widespread protests and safety concerns.
Hundreds of pro‑Palestine demonstrators gathered Tuesday evening outside Palau Blaugrana ahead of a EuroLeague basketball game between FC Barcelona and Maccabi Rabet Tel Aviv, urging sports authorities to bar 'Israeli' teams from international competitions.
The protest came as local organisers and about 150 social, political and union groups called on authorities to cancel the match entirely, arguing that holding the game would help normalise what they describe as genocidal crimes in Palestine, according to Spanish news outlets Diario Público.
Heavy Pressure From Civil Groups
The coalition behind the rally included the Catalonia Palestine Community and the “Stop Complicity With Israel” network, along with labour unions and neighbourhood organisations. Their manifesto claimed that sport should not be used to “whitewash serious human‑rights abuses”, and emphasised that widespread pressure had already forced several matches involving 'Israeli' teams to be played behind closed doors.
Protesters held Palestinian flags and slogans demanding an end to 'Israeli' participation in European competitions. Organisers said they chose the location outside the Palau Blaugrana to coincide with the scheduled 20th round EuroLeague meeting, planned as a high‑risk match.
Match Held Without Fans
In response to security assessments, Spanish authorities decided the game would be played with no spectators present, citing concerns over possible unrest linked to protest activity. This mirrored decisions for other games in the country this week where Maccabi Tel Aviv has been visiting.
Critics of the decision to clear stands argued that excluding fans amounted to a concession to protest pressure rather than a meaningful solution to political tensions in sport.
Broader Tensions in Europe
Similar protests have taken place elsewhere in Europe, including demonstrations in Italy against Maccabi Tel Aviv’s participation in other EuroLeague fixtures. Those events also drew clashes with police as activists called for a stop to Israeli teams’ competitive involvement on the continent.
What’s Next
Organisers said they planned to maintain pressure on sporting bodies, including the EuroLeague and national federations, to reconsider policies that allow teams from 'Israel' to compete internationally. They also urged further mobilisations ahead of future fixtures.
The EuroLeague schedule for Maccabi Tel Aviv now includes matches in Spain this week under similar closed‑doors conditions, with organisers stressing that decisions are based on safety assessments rather than political bias.
As activism continues in European sports, debates over political protest, participation rights and safety at sporting events are expected to intensify in the weeks ahead.
