No war Barcelona 2003

In March 2003, I was in Barcelona to learn more about a new global event, the World Cultural Forum, and to evaluate whether it would be something that Cape Town should consider bidding for. After attending an evening function in the Eixample, I decided to walk the 25 blocks back to my hotel. Despite the slight winter chill, it was a lovely evening, and the opportunity to walk the wide streets of Barcelona was too good to be missed.

Then, suddenly, I heard a low rumbling sound. It was like no other urban noise I had ever heard before. It wasn’t the sound of traffic, or an aircraft, or an underground train, but an ominous, slightly metallic sound, a sound of human origin, but not a choir or a parade or a march. It seemed to grow all around me. I looked up, and realised that thousands of people were hanging out of their windows of their apartments, banging pots and pans, whistling, shouting, but softly. The whole city seemed to vibrate and hum, and then about ten minutes later, it was over.

I walked the remaining blocks back to my hotel, wondering what had just happened. It was only the next day, when I asked a colleague from Barcelona about the mysterious noise, that I found out the answer – it was a nightly protest by the citizens of Barcelona about the Gulf War and the US bombing of Iraq! Seldom before had I witnessed such widespread but peaceful and sustained solidarity on a particular issue amongst citizens in any city. As I continued to walk the city over the next few days, I began to notice the anti-war slogans everywhere – graffiti, banners, human statues, shop fronts, even road signs. Since that visit to Barcelona, I have never forgotten the experience of hearing, for the first time, the sound of a whole city rumbling in angry but solemn protest – a truly magnificent sound.

No war Barcelona 2003

No war Barcelona 2003

No war Barcelona 2003

No war Barcelona 2003