# Anti-war protests spread across Spain over Iran and Gaza
Spain, August 29, 2026 - Thousands of people took to the streets across Spain on Saturday to protest the war in Iran and the fighting in Gaza, with rallies in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia reviving the country's familiar "No to war" politics.
In Madrid, around 5,000 people gathered outside the Reina Sofia Museum, according to the organizers, waving signs that called for peace and carrying slogans that tied the conflict in Iran to the war in Gaza. Similar demonstrations were held in Barcelona and Valencia, while protests also spread to Alicante, Alcoi and Crevillent in the Valencian Community.
The demonstrations were not confined to the country's largest cities. Cantabria saw a concentration in Santander, and Asturias held events in nine municipalities, including Oviedo, Gijon and Aviles. In Galicia, the main rally took place in Santiago de Compostela's Praza do Toural, while the Region of Murcia saw gatherings in a string of towns and cities.
The movement drew on a broad coalition. A manifesto supporting the protests was signed by 143 organizations and more than 200 figures from culture, including union leaders and well-known artists. The text called on democrats to condemn the aggression, defend international law and work for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, while also condemning the Iranian clerical regime.
The protests also reflected a political tradition that has resurfaced repeatedly in Spain when foreign wars become central public issues. In Pamplona, demonstrators specifically denounced NATO and timed their rally to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Spain's 1986 referendum on staying in the alliance.
The events suggest that the wars in Iran and Gaza are now resonating well beyond the Middle East. For many participants, the issue is not only the civilian toll of the conflicts, but the role of the United States and Israel in widening the violence and pulling more countries into it.
At the Madrid rally, the rhetoric was direct: no war, solidarity with the Iranian people and an insistence that local streets and squares should be used to voice opposition. That kind of message has helped keep anti-war activism visible in Spain even as the wars themselves evolve.
The source packet does not indicate whether the protests changed policy or led to arrests, but it does show a nationwide wave of opposition that spanned several regions and political communities on the same day.
