Pep Guardiola voices support for pro-Gazan demonstration in Barcelona: ‘We are witnessing a live genocide’

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called on people to “pressure governments to take immediate action” regarding the conflict in Gaza.

The 54-year-old voiced his support for a pro-Gazan demonstration on the streets of his birth city, Barcelona, taking place on October 4.

The video of him voicing his support has garnered more than five million views on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Speaking in a video posted to social media, he said: “We are witnessing a live genocide where thousands of children have already died and others may still die.

“The Gaza Strip is devastated, and a flood of people are walking without shelter, food, drinking water, or medicine. Only an organised urban civil society can save lives and pressure governments to take immediate action.

“On October 4 at 12 noon in Jardinets de Gracia, we will flood the streets to demand an end to the genocide.”

This is not the first time Guardiola has shared his views on the conflict. After receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester in June, he said: “It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body.

“Let me be clear, it’s not about ideology. It’s not about whether I’m right or you’re wrong. It’s just about the love of life, about the care of your neighbour. Maybe we think that we see the boys and girls of four years old being killed by the bomb or being killed at the hospital because it’s not a hospital anymore. It’s not our business.

“We can think about that. It’s not our business. But be careful. The next one will be ours. The next four- or five-year-old kids will be ours. Sorry, but I see my kids, Maria, Marius and Valentina. When I see every morning since the nightmare started, the infants in Gaza, and I’m so scared.”

Guardiola joins a list of high-profile names in football who have voiced their support for the people of Gaza amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.

The Athletic reported on September 29 that a coalition of 50 professional athletes, including Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure and former Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, had signed a letter calling on UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions.

Former Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi — who a German court found was unfairly dismissed by Mainz 05 in November 2023 following a social media post expressing support for Palestinians — and former Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy, and former Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson are among those from the world of football to have signed the letter.

On October 3, Athletic Club announced they would be welcoming a group of Palestinian refugees to their San Mames stadium before their La Liga game against Mallorca on Saturday.

There were also anti-Israel protests held during Osasuna’s 2-1 victory over Getafe on Friday. In the 10th minute of the game, referee Javier Alberola, stopped play briefly after tennis balls were thrown onto the field in a coordinated protest against the conflict.

UEFA competition matches have not taken place in Israel since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in 2023, in which 1,100 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza following Israel’s ground invasion, according to local health officials.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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