Tenerife 8M: Feminists March Against Gender Violence, "Fascism."

This year, the 8M women's rights march in Tenerife is happening at a time of growing worry about gender violence in Spain. Feminist groups are also concerned about increasing rhetoric that they say threatens the rights of women and other vulnerable communities.

The 8M Tenerife Feminist Platform has organized the march under the banner, "Unstoppable Feminists: Let's Topple Fascism!" This slogan highlights the political nature of their demand for equality.

The main demonstration in Santa Cruz de Tenerife will start at 12:00 PM on March 8th. It will begin at the flower clock in García Sanabria Park, pass through Weyler Square and Castillo Street, and end in Candelaria Square. Since March 8th falls on a Sunday this year, organizers expect more people to attend compared to the lower turnouts seen since 2018.

Carmen Pérez, a spokesperson for the 8M Tenerife Feminist Platform, emphasized the movement's strong resolve. She stated, "There is no place in the world where women do not fight for their freedom," adding that Tenerife would be no different. Pérez expressed concern about what she calls "fascism," which she believes leads to the repression of vulnerable groups like women, migrants, and LGTBIQ+ individuals. The platform has also arranged an initial gathering for Saturday, March 7th, at 11:00 AM, in the Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna.

This call to action comes as Spain faces alarming statistics regarding gender violence. So far this year, ten women have been murdered due to gender violence, and two deaths have resulted from vicarious violence. This brings the total number of fatalities to 1,353 since 2003, according to the Ministry of Equality. The Canary Islands have tragically seen two of these cases this year: in January, Czarina's body was found alongside her husband's, who allegedly committed the crime before taking his own life, leaving two children orphaned. In February, a ten-year-old boy in Arona, Tenerife, was murdered by his father while trying to protect his mother.

Pérez stressed that "by denying sexism, femicides will never end," highlighting the need for deep social and cultural change. The main goal of the march is to ensure women's rights are respected and to eliminate inequality. Pérez concluded, "a minute of silence for each victim is not enough; it is imperative to take to the streets to protest."