At least 2,000 protestors waving British and Gibraltar flags demonstrated at the Spanish land border tonight against Madrid's bid to take control of the rocky outcrop off its southern coast.
"This is where Spain ends and where Gibraltar begins," opposition leader Mr Joe Bossano declared to the cheering crowd, which marched to the tune of the Gibraltar anthem.
The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party and the Gibraltar Liberal Party, who represent the parliamentary opposition, organized the march.
It coincided with talks in London between British Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw and Spanish Foreign Minister Mr Josep Pique over the fate of the British territory.
fter almost three centuries of British rule, Spain wants to take back control of Gibraltar, but most of the territory's 30,000 inhabitants are staunchly opposed to giving up their status as British citizens.
"We reject and repudiate the sharing of the sovereignty of our land with Spain in any shape or form, as the soil of Gibraltar belongs to no one but the people of Gibraltar," said a declaration read at the end of the protest.
"It is neither Spain's to claim nor the UK's to give away."
Placards carried by the protestors warned British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair that "Gibraltar is not for sale."
AFP