- Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/SPAIN-DEMO Thousands in Spain march in support of refugees
- Date: 12th September 2015
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 12, 2015) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER READING "FOR A RESPONSIBLE EUROPEAN POLICY, WELCOME REFUGEES" WOMEN HOLDING BANNER WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (English) "OPEN THE BORDERS!" NEXT TO ANOTHER WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (Spanish) "NOBODY IS ILLEGAL" MARCH IN PROGRESS WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (English) "WELCOME REFUGEES" DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING SPANISH FLAG WITH PAPER LETTERS READING (English) "WELCOME REFUGEES" DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING "IT'S ILLEGAL" DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING MICROPHONE AND CHANTING "FREEDOM, FREEDOM!" DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING " NO MORE DEATHS AT THE BORDERS" ELDERLY MAN HOLDING SIGN MARCH IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARISA, 47, NGO WORKER, SAYING: "I think borders kill. The European border regime is unsustainable because of wars and the hunger people suffer and their search for a better life, which everyone has a right to have, creates pressure and every country, also Europe, is partly responsible." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ESTRELLA GALAN PEREZ, 44, SECRETARY GENERAL OF SPANISH COMMISSION TO AID REFUGEES (CEAR), SAYING: "We are already late. We continue to see deaths on a daily basis. It's unacceptable that countries are trying to negotiate the numbers of refugees they take in, taking into account the number of refugees in the world. We cannot forget there are 4 million Syrian refugees but there are 60 million refugees around the world that have had to flee." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUAN LUIS, 44, CIVIL SERVANT, SAYING: "Keeping borders as barriers for the natural migration of people is an aberration in the 21st century." VARIOUS OF MARCH IN PROGRESS AS DEMONSTRATORS CHANT "DOWN WITH THE WALLS AT THE BORDERS" DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING AT MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPANISH AND EUROPEAN FLAGS AT MINISTRY / PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING SIGN READING (Spanish) "PEACE" REFUGEES HOLDING BANNER READING (Spanish) "WELCOME REFUGEES" VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING FLAGS IN FRONT OF MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
- Embargoed: 27th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1YWBSTXZ7QQ91JV7H9EVZORW2
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands took the streets in Spain's major cities on Saturday (September 12) to show their support for refugees fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria and seeking asylum in Europe.
Under the motto "Welcome Refugees, for a responsible European policy," protesters demanded a fair and generous policy towards refugees ahead of the meeting of EU interior and justice minister on Monday (September 12) where they will hammer out the blocs policy as thousands flock to Europe in search of asylum.
In Madrid a few thousand people marched to the foreign ministry carrying signs ready "Open the borders," and "Peace" as they chanted "No refugee is illegal" and "No more deaths at the borders."
Protesters were critical of Europe in respect to refugees and called for borders to be open.
"The European border regime is unsustainable because of wars and the hunger people suffer and their search for a better life, which everyone has a right to have, creates pressure and every country, also Europe, is partly responsible," Marisa, 47, an NGO worker said.
Estrella Galan Perez, secretary general of the Spanish Commission to Aid Refugees (CEAR) said Europe had acted to late.
"We are already late. We continue to see deaths on a daily basis. It's unacceptable that countries are trying to negotiate the numbers of refugees they take in, taking into account the number of refugees in the world," she said. "We cannot forget there are 4 million Syrian refugees but there are 60 million refugees around the world that have had to flee."
Other major cities in Spain such as Barcelona and Seville also held demonstrations to welcome refugees.
Spain said it would accept over 14,900 refugees proposed by the European Commission.
The marches in Spain were organized by unions and social organizations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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