Mairena del Aljarafe protests against the gender-based murder of Ana with a massive march

More than a thousand people, mostly women, have marched through the streets of Mairena del Aljarafe to protest the murder of Ana, a Colombian neighbour who was allegedly killed by her husband.

The outrage and pain have overflowed in Mairena del Aljarafe. Just over a thousand people, mostly women, marched through the streets of the Sevillian municipality on Tuesday afternoon to cry out against the murder of Ana, a Colombian woman who was allegedly killed by her husband last Saturday. The march, organised by a dozen feminist and social groups, started at Central Park and ended in the Los Alcores neighbourhood, where the victim lived.

Unity of groups against gender-based violence

The protest was supported by associations such as Diverse Women of the Earth, the Ana Bella Foundation, the Federation of Gypsy Women's Associations (Fakali), the Aljarafe Women's Collective, Fibro Aljarafe, Women of La Prusiana, Women for Equality, and Stop Institutional Violence. All of them read a manifesto at the end of the march, in which they described the crime as "the most brutal expression of gender-based violence".

The president of Women for Equality in Seville, Victoria Cañal, highlighted the unity of action: "All the associations of the Municipal Council of Mairena and all citizens are absolutely outraged by the cruel murder of Ana." Cañal emphasised that the crime has particularly affected the locality, "because it is in our municipality, in our town, where we have lived in peace until now and we do not want a single murder more."

"This murder has seriously affected us, because it is in our municipality, in our town, where we have lived in peace until now and we do not want a single murder more"

Demands for more resources and coordination

During the march, the groups also denounced "behaviours of control, domination and contempt towards women", the narratives that minimise gender-based violence, "the spreading of the idea of false accusations" and "the lack of sufficient resources to prevent, detect and support situations of risk." In the manifesto, they called for the immediate strengthening of resources for women in situations of violence, more mandatory gender perspective training for professionals in all fields, as well as improving early detection protocols and real coordination between institutions.

Cañal insisted that the solution lies in "much more coordination between the State Security Forces, the municipalities and reviewing the State Pact", in addition to continuing to develop "a fair and safe system for women to report and to truly protect them."

A scourge that continues to claim victims

With the murder of Ana, there are now 25 fatalities from gender-based violence in Spain this year, and the total number rises to 1,366 since 2003, when these data began to be collected. Ana leaves behind a 14-year-old son, one of the 13 minors orphaned by gender-based violence in 2026, and 523 since 2013. For the residents of Mairena del Aljarafe, this crime has been a wake-up call: the town, previously considered peaceful, has been shaken by the brutality of the case.

Victims of gender-based violence and their surroundings can seek help through the phone 016 (leaves no trace on the bill), the email 016-online@igualdad.gob.es, and the WhatsApp channel at the number 600 000 016, all active 24 hours a day. In an emergency situation, one can call 112, 091 (National Police) or 062 (Civil Guard), or activate the Alertcops app, which sends an alert signal with geolocation.