Approximately two hundred demonstrators gathered on Monday in Barcelona's Plaza Sant Jaume to express their outrage following the recent acquittal of footballer Dani Alves by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Cataluña (TSJC) on charges of sexual assault.

The protest was organized by the feminist group Noviembre Feminista under the slogan 'Vergüenza e impunidad.' Support for the protest came from various organizations, including the Plataforma Unitaria contra las Violencias de Género and the Associació d'Assistència de Dones Agredides Sexualment (Aadas).

The spokesperson for Noviembre Feminista, Dolo Pulido, articulated that the TSJC's decision sets a 'serious precedent' that could strengthen the impunity of aggressors and undermine women's protection.

The protestors chanted slogans such as "¡Compañera, yo sí te creo!" and "If they touch one of us, they touch all of us!" reflecting solidarity with victims of sexual violence.

Concerns about the impacts of this resolution on future reporting by victims were voiced significantly.

According to data from the Ministry of Equality, only 8% of sexual assaults are reported, with just 20% of those cases reaching a trial, and merely one in ten resulting in a conviction.

Activists highlighted that the recent verdict could further deter women from coming forward.

During the protest, activists read a manifesto asserting that the judgment illustrates how the 'judicial system perpetuates patriarchal patterns and the culture of rape.' They noted that the complainant maintained consistency throughout the legal process, while Alves reportedly altered his account five times.

Activists called for better protection of women who report sexual violence, aiming to prevent further victimization, and stressed the necessity for gender-sensitive training for all legal professionals.

Marisa Fernández, a lawyer and activist, condemned the lack of gender perspective in the court's decision, labeling it as 'unacceptable.' She voiced hope that the Supreme Court would overturn this ruling, reminiscent of the eventual correction seen in the infamous La Manada case.

Political parties across the spectrum expressed their indignation and concern over the implications of this decision on the willingness of victims to report assaults, while simultaneously underscoring their respect for judicial authority—a sentiment reiterated by associations of judges and prosecutors amid public backlash against the acquittal.

Last week, the TSJC unanimously upheld Alves' appeal against his prior sentencing of four years and six months in prison for the sexual assault of a young woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 31, 2022. The appellate panel, which included judges Maria Àngels Vivas, Roser Bach, María Jesús Manzano, and Manuel Álvarez, found flaws in the previous conviction, citing 'a series of voids, imprecisions, inconsistencies, and contradictions' in the initial ruling.