Barcelona was the focus on 23 May 2026 as 20 Catalan activists from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla returned to El Prat Airport after time in Istanbul for medical checks. The group, which left Barcelona on 15 April, said they had been detained by Israeli forces after their vessels were intercepted in the Mediterranean.
They were met at the airport with applause and Palestinian flags. Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun was also present to greet the returning activists.
Ariadna Masmitjà thanked supporters and said, “We were violently and brutally attacked when we were illegally captured by Israel.” She said the incident was “not an attack against us, but against Palestine”, and called on European governments to sever ties with Israel. She also criticised the Spanish government for maintaining arms relations with the country.
Another activist, Mi Hoa Lee, gave a tearful account of detention. She said, “We were captured, tortured, humiliated, and attacked. The escalation of violence was abysmal.” Lee said she was treated as “a number” and described what she called a “tunnel of terror, a tunnel of torture”, where four soldiers repeatedly beat her before forcing her to stand again. She also said she was subjected to a taser attack for two minutes.
Masmitjà said the flotilla had left Barcelona to try to break the blockade and draw attention to what Palestinians are experiencing. She also said the group took action during the journey to stop ships carrying weapons towards Palestine.
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has expressed concern over the “humiliating” treatment of the activists during detention. His spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said, “We are very concerned”, when asked about reports of physical and sexual abuse. The activists’ return is likely to keep pressure on governments over relations with Israel. More Catalonia news
