Barcelona attack: Thousands of Muslims march against terrorism

'We are Muslims, not terrorists'

Thousands of Muslims joined vigils in Barcelona to condemn terrorism and show their support for the victims of the recent attacks.

More than 2,500 people from different communities gathered close to Las Ramblas in central Barcelona, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported.

Last Thursday, a van was driven into a crowd on the busy street, killing 13, before a bloody getaway in which a man was stabbed to death. A later attack in the seaside town of Cambrils killed one.

People take part in a demonstration organised by several Muslim association of Catalonia which gathered the main religious denominations of the community to express their rejection of any type of terrorism after the attacks in Catalonia, in Barcelona (EPA/ANDREU DALMAU)

The crowd held placards reading "We are also victims," "Terrorism has no religion," and "We are all Barcelona, not terrorisms."

At the front of the procession was a large green banner reading: "We are Muslims, not terrorists."

A girl holds a banner that reads: "Muslims Against Terrorism" during a protest by the Muslim community condemning the attack in Barcelona, Spain (AP/Santi Palacios)

Many took to the streets to chant "not in my name."

Representatives from the Islamic communities read a statement rejecting the attacks and expressing their support for the victims and the wounded in Catalan, Spanish and Arabic.

The procession was joined by the Catalan president, Carme Forcadell, the secretary for external and institutional relations, Raul Romeva, and the first deputy mayor of Barcelona, Gerardo Pisarello, as well as members of the Catalan parliament and Barcelona City Council.

Muslims react as they gather at Plaza Catalunya to protest against terrorism in Barcelona, Spain (REUTERS/Sergio Perez)

The lone fugitive from the initial attack, Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, was shot dead on Monday west of Barcelona after a huge manhunt.

Police say he flashed what turned out to be a fake suicide belt at two officers who confronted him in a vineyard.

They said they had "scientific evidence" Abouyaaqoub drove the van that sped through Las Ramblas promenade before he hijacked a car and fatally stabbed its driver while making his getaway.

Abouyaaqoub's brother and friends made up the rest of the 12-man extremist cell, police said.

Isis claimed responsibility for the attacks.