Thousands of people marched through central Barcelona on Sunday to oppose the planned expansion of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport, with local police putting turnout at 5,500 and organisers claiming up to 30,000. The demonstration was called by the Zeroport platform and backed by more than 200 civic, environmental, neighbourhood and labour groups, alongside support from ERC, Comuns and the CUP.
The protest began at Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer d’Aragó before ending at Plaça de Sant Jaume, drawing cyclists, tractors and columns of marchers from across the metropolitan area. It followed Spain’s recent approval of an airport investment framework that includes preparatory work for a possible future expansion, but not immediate construction of a third runway.
Opponents argue the plan would deepen climate pressure, tourism saturation and mobility problems in Catalonia, while airport backers continue to frame the project as part of a longer-term capacity strategy for one of Spain’s key hubs. The mobilisation revived a campaign that had already triggered a major protest five years earlier.