Spanish activists who stood naked in front of the West Bank separation barrier have been forced to apologise.

The group, Pallasos en Rebeldia [Clowns in Rebellion] stood in front of the barrier naked wearing clown make-up – including red noises – and said that their protest was an act of solidarity with the Palestinians of the West Bank.

A statement on their Facebook page said: “When you stand before this shameful fence, all of humanity is naked. The decision to be photographed as naked clowns was meant to remind us that all of humanity has lost its respect by allowing such barriers to exist.”

However, the Palestinians they were supposedly representing described the protest as “disgusting solidarity” and as showing “little respect for different cultures”.

Pallasos en Rebeldia issued a public apology via Facebook, stating: “[We] want to apologise publicly to all the Palestinians who could be offended by our actions against the wall of shame, which cuts through Cisjordania and the whole heart of humanity.”