A Peace March by 500,000 people hit the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to show that people are not afraid, following the brutal terror attack in La Rambla in the city on August 17. There was a similar attack in Cambrils, leading to the deaths of 15 people and more than 100 injured.

Huge march led by King Felipe VI and heads of state

The massive march was led by King Felipe Vi, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia’s regional government head. They marched together with people who witnessed the attack first hand, including residents and store owners in La Rambla, and taxi drivers and emergency workers who helped victims in the aftermath of the attack.

Muslim women were seen marching next to the Spanish king, wearing hijabs.

People declare they are ‘not afraid’

As reported by the Metro, police had said half a million people were in the streets carrying banners with the words “no tinc por,” which means “I am not afraid” in English, including a street-wide banner at the head of the march. Others were holding banners protesting against Islamophobia. People also carried red, white and yellow roses to signify the colors of Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain.

The phrase “no tinc por” is also reportedly being embraced by the political class in the country in response to the ISIS-backed violence. However, as reported by RTE, the presence of the Spanish King caused some controversy with pro-independence Catalans wishing to break away from Spain.

They were heard to chant at the royal to “get out” of Catalonia.

Terror suspects hail from Ripoll in Catalonia

12 suspects are believed to have been behind the terror attacks. Six of them were killed by police and two were killed in an explosion in the terrorists’ bomb factory In Alcanar. A further two suspects are currently in prison facing charges of terrorism, while two other suspects were released.

The group was based in the small town of Ripoll in the Catalan Pyrenees, where the majority had been brought up from childhood.

During the speeches at a similar event in Ripoll, Hafida Oukabir, whose two brothers were involved in the attack went on stage to thank her neighbors for their support to Muslim families in Ripoll.

Moussa Oukabir was killed by police in Cambrils while Driss Oukabir was arrested and is facing terrorism charges.

Things could have been far worse in the attacks

As was recently reported, the terror group was intending to launch a far more brutal attack, using explosives and gas bottles in vans to hit three major tourist areas of the city, including the iconic Sagrada Familia. However, after their bomb factory in Alcanar suffered an accidental explosion the day before the Barcelona attack, which killed terror suspects and destroyed their explosives, this led to a change in their plans.
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