Protesters in Madrid form human chain to oppose war in Middle East

BRUSSELS

A group of people gathered Thursday in the Spanish capital Madrid to form a human chain in protest against the US and Israel's attacks on Iran and its retaliatory response.

The demonstration was organized by the civil society group Assembly Against Armament and Militarization, with participants calling for an end to militarization and war.

Demonstrators held signs and chanted slogans such as "No to armament, no to war, no to NATO."

Among those attending was Podemos leader Ione Belarra.

Meanwhile, a manifesto signed by 143 civil society organizations and nearly 200 figures from the arts and cultural sector has called for nationwide demonstrations across Spain on March 14 in protest against the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Titled "We Must Stop the War in the Middle East," it has also received support from members of Spain's governing coalition, including the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the Sumar alliance.

The signatories called on all democrats to condemn the aggression, defend international law, and work toward a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, adding that such peace must also include an end to what they described as genocide in Gaza.