Massive march in Barcelona to demand Spanish gov't welcomes refugees

Tens of thousands of people from the platform "Casa Nostra, Casa Vostra" (Our home, Your home) marched through the streets of Barcelona on Saturday, demanding that the Spanish government welcomes refugees into the country.

Around 160,000 people participated in the march according to the Barcelona City Hall and while organizers put the figure as high as 300,000.

"Casa Nosta, Casa Vostra", an organization made up of individuals, organizations, charities and social organizations, was born from the experiences of its founders working in refugee camps in Greece.

Its coordinator, Ruben Wagensberg, said the march was to "ask the Spanish government to open the doors so the thousands of people who are waiting at the doors of Europe, can come here."

"Most countries are debating whether they should accept or not refugees and here there is no debate; here everyone believes we should accept them," he added.

Saturday's march took a symbolic route, from Plaza Urquinaona in the center of Barcelona, down to the shores of the Mediterranean, which has claimed the lives of many refugees in recent years.

source: Xinhua