Madrid – Spain | Today, thousands of Sahrawis displaced from Western Sahara took to the streets of both Madrid and Mallorca in massive demonstrations, raising strong slogans rejecting the U.S.–Moroccan autonomy plan and urging Spain to end its political alignment with Rabat and to assume its historical and legal responsibility toward its former colony, Western Sahara.
Widespread Popular Rejection of the Autonomy Plan
Protesters chanted powerful messages asserting that the so-called autonomy solution, promoted by the United States and Morocco, is nothing more than an attempt to legitimize the occupation and “polish the image of a regime known for repression, imprisonment, and the disappearance of many Sahrawis.”
Demonstrators affirmed that the Sahrawi people are the only legitimate party entitled to determine the future of the territory through a free and fair referendum on self-determination, as mandated by UN resolutions since 1975.
Madrid: Massive Crowds Deliver a Strong Message to Spain
In Madrid, thousands gathered near government institutions and diplomatic buildings, stressing that:
• Spain bears a direct historical responsibility toward Western Sahara;
• Its 1975 withdrawal did not end its legal obligations;
• Its support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal represents “a betrayal of an entire people.”
Protesters held banners urging Spain to reverse its support for Morocco’s stance, return to a position of neutrality, and uphold international law and UN commitments.
Mallorca: Demonstration in Front of the U.S. Embassy
In the island of Mallorca, another march gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy, where Sahrawi voices rose in unison against the American plan presented as a “final solution.”
Crowds chanted:
“No autonomy under a regime that kills, jails, and represses Sahrawis!”
“You cannot give what you do not own!”
Participants stressed that the United States cannot impose a solution that ignores the rights of a displaced and repressed people.
Broad Participation from Organizations, Journalists, and Activists
Numerous organizations, rights groups, and journalists joined the marches, expressing strong support for the Sahrawi cause. They emphasized that:
• The situation in Western Sahara cannot be politically packaged without respecting the will of its people;
• Any solution excluding a self-determination referendum is a direct violation of international law;
• Morocco continues to impose documented human rights abuses, while preventing monitoring missions from entering the territory.
Key Demands of the Demonstrations
Both marches concluded with clear and unified demands:
1. A free and fair referendum on self-determination for the Sahrawi people.
2. Rejection of the autonomy plan, which does not reflect the people’s will.
3. A call for Spain to fulfill its historical and legal responsibilities as the administering power.
4. A call for the United States to respect international law and refrain from backing unilateral solutions.
5. Opening the territory to international organizations to monitor human rights violations.
A Show of Unity from the Sahrawi Diaspora in Europe
These demonstrations highlight that the Sahrawi voice in the diaspora is increasingly organized, influential, and determined, capable of delivering its message clearly to the global public.
They also reaffirm the Sahrawi people’s unwavering commitment to their legitimate right to freedom, dignity, and independence, and their rejection of any imposed solution that does not respect their will.
