Hundreds of people gathered in Barcelona on Saturday afternoon, 2 May 2026, outside the European Commission headquarters on Passeig de Gràcia, demanding the release of Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila. The two members of the Global Sumud Flotilla were detained by Israel last Thursday.
Saif Abukeshek's wife, Sally Isa, stated that her Catalan-Palestinian husband had no intention of entering Palestine. She said he was participating in the flotilla as an observer. Israeli authorities have accused Abukeshek of "terrorist affiliation," according to Isa.
Protesters also condemned the European Union's "complicity" and called for more active involvement to secure the activists' freedom. Pablo Castilla, spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla in Catalonia, spoke out against the detention of Abukeshek and the Brazilian national Thiago Ávila.
Allegations of Torture and EU Complicity
Castilla claimed both detainees are on hunger strike and have suffered torture. He also criticised the lack of consular assistance for Abukeshek. Castilla further accused the European Union of "absolute complicity" with Israel's actions.
He specifically named Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency, calling it a "witness and accomplice to the kidnapping." Castilla urged the Spanish and Swedish governments to take diplomatic steps to secure the detainees' release.
