Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt

Chanting “Cancel the Debt of the Global South!”, the activists were met with violent arrests from Spanish police, and the Spanish railway operator, Renfe, claims they will pursue legal action against the group.

The action cuts through the official speeches and staged negotiations to expose what they call “a façade of false solutions.” As rich nations promote greenwashed debt swaps and stall meaningful reform, Global South communities remain trapped in a colonial financial system driving climate catastrophe and social collapse.

“This conference is theatre. The same powers responsible for centuries of extraction and economic violence are still running the show, pushing loans instead of justice,” said Ilan Henzler. “We are here to demand real solutions: independent and comprehensive debt audits, which is a powerful tool to expose illegitimate and unsustainable debts”.

In an act of solidarity, a Palestinian flag was unfurled alongside the main banner, as activists expressed outrage at the decision to allow an Israeli delegate to speak at FFD4, given Israel’s central role in oppression and violence across the Middle East. Debt for Climate condemned the international community’s silence in the face of Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza.