(18 Feb 2017) Tens of thousands of protesters marched in Barcelona on Saturday to demand that Spain's conservative-led government increase efforts to take in more refugees who have fled the war in Syria and other violent conflicts.
Spain has taken in just 1,100 refugees of the over 17,000 it has pledged to accept.
Marchers on Saturday held a large banner and small signs with the slogan "Enough Excuses! Take Them In Now!" as they made their way through the city centre.
One woman spoke of the need for rallies to force the government to take notice of the issue, while a human rights activist said it was important to show refugees they were welcome due to the "shadow of far right populism" in Europe.
In September 2015, Spain's government pledged to bring 17,337 refugees in within two years: 15,888 from camps in Italy and Greece and 1,449 from Turkey and Libya.
A group of 66 refugees - 65 Syrians and one Iraqi - who arrived in Madrid on Thursday raised the total number of refugees Spain has taken in to 1,100.
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