Etiqueta: Catalonia

War against the Colour Yellow in Catalonia .. Supreme Court in Fascist Fantasy

The Electoral Board orders the Police to clean local government buildings of of yellow ribbons and pro-independence symbols.  In the Supreme Court, Marchena protects the magical stories of the civil guards by banning the videos of them attacking peaceful voters.  As far right aggressors go free with state and media approval a new neo fascist movement is galvanised into being..It is not clear if the order of the Board also includes all the new symbols – or even more original ones like the banner of Port de la Selva that replaced yellow with blue and «llibertat political prisoners» with «llibertat peixos pacífics» (transforming ‘Free Political Prisoners’ into ‘Free Peaceful Fish’)–

It is very likely that all will be banned if we look at the history of the 155 elections, those of 21D 2017, in which the Board banned the color yellow in the lighting of fountains and buildings or the Christmas lights.

The grotesque spectacle of military police entering public buildings and removing banners, posters and ribbons is very likely to repeat itself. The orders come from a body so »independent and impartial» that it includes among its members two of the judges that make up the tribunal of the continuing show Trial of the Catalan Leaders.

the yellow ribbon crossed out by a red line will not be enough

In turn, the President of the Generalitat (limited Catalan parliament) was brought before the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate whether he has committed a crime of disobedience punishable by fines and disqualification from public office.

Are the prosecutors of the rebellion preparing the way for a new episode of Direct Rule from Madrid (Article  155) that ends with the dismissal of another Catalan president? Everything is possible is this Kingdom.

This was the response of the ‘electoral body’ to the decision of Torra and his counsellors to replace the ‘offensive’ yellow ribbons with other posters crossed by a red line -referring to the symbol in defense of the freedom of expression that has also been in one of the windows of the Palau of the Generalitat- or by other yellow icons, such as chickens, sheep and other animals that decorate the door of the Consellería de Agricultura.

Door of the agriculture Ministry with illegal Yellow Animals.

We reach the hilarious but serious prospect of the Catalan President facing dismissal and a charges for allowing the display of a yellow chicken in a public building.

The Spanish National Police have a new ultra right group called Spanish Spring CENEPE (Primavera española del CENEPE) composed of Spanish police officers which proposes to toughen violent police actions and disseminates hate messages and threats. According to El Confidencial, there are 13,062 armed members of this police Facebook group. An approach to Vox’s political positions has also been detected, with the broadcast of messages, videos and slogans of this new ultra right party.  Full text in Spanish at: https://www.lahaine.org/fN2m

Meanwhile in the politically controlled Supreme Court Trial, these same judges, with Marchena in the lead, continue with a farce that cannot stand the slightest test of impartiality. Last week was the turn of various Civil Guard agents drafted into Catalonia.In a surprise move the Court allowed the Office of the Prosecutor, the State Attorney and, incredibly,  the new fascist party Vox , to ask them about their presence in the attempted  repression of the 1-O  Referendum . Independent observers, including Noam Chomsky, have been barred from the Trial.

Despite the fact that the whole world saw the dozens of videos of them beating up thousands of peaceful voters, the police claimed they were the real victims.  The stories of the agents, border on the fantastic. They talk about how they felt a «hatred never seen», an «unusual violence» … and other pearls like that as they hospitalised over 1000 voters.

The Electoral Board of Barcelona has prohibited on Thursday the public media TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio from using the words «political prisoners» or calling Puigdemont «exiled» in their news programmes.

So that the delirium is not so evident, Marchena decided that their stories cannot be contrasted with what actually happened. Directly he prohibited  showing a single video image of the »facts» about which the police declared, which could have  contradicted their every  word.Democracy and Judiciary, Franco style continues on TV. The authoritarian and recentralizing course of the Regime continues deepening since the institutional coup of Direct Rule 155, and in this scenario the script is written side by side by all its agents, from the Crown to the PSOE (»socialists»), including of course by the far right PP, the Cs party and the exciting newcomer on the gravy train, the openly neo-fascist Vox.

some info sourced from http://www.izquierdadiario.es/Guerra-al-amarillo-y-relatos-fantasticos-en-el-Supremo

100’s arrested for ‘Hate Crimes against Police’ as more Catalan Defenders Criminalised

Criminalising political opposition in Catalonia

»832 people have been charged by Spanish authorities with rebellion, sedition or ‘offences against the Crown’. Most are elected representatives; 712 of those charged are town mayors».

Ignasi Bernat and David Whyte explain why the political trials this week only reveal the tip of the iceberg.
 Photo by Beverly Yuen Thompson (Flickr)

via Z Communications     Last week, the trial of the Catalonian political prisoners began in Spain.  As the drama unfolds in front of the world, behind the scenes the Guardia Civil and the Spanish National Police will continue to round up less well-known activists for their political ”crimes”.

The criminalization of political opposition is not merely confined to the prisoners currently on trial, but is in danger of becoming a routine response, part of the modus operandi of the Spanish state.  We noted how such practices were targeting the anti-capitalist left in an article in Red Pepper last June.

This relatively hidden, ongoing targetting  has continued. Three weeks ago, the left-wing mayors of the Catalan towns of Verges and Celrà were arrested in a dawn raid along with a journalist from the magazine La Directa and 13 other activists. Continuar leyendo «100’s arrested for ‘Hate Crimes against Police’ as more Catalan Defenders Criminalised»

1000’s of Women Protest as Gang Rape 5 get Light Sentences and Victim Blamed

Image result for Manifestaciones mujeres sentencia manada
‘Fear is gonna Change Sides’.. Women’s Self Defense.
  Just months before they had shared a video on Whatsapp of themselves abusing, mocking and stripping a drugged and kidnapped girl, to the adulation of their many fans (see Pozoblanco below).Image result for Manifestaciones mujeres sentencia manada
The San Fermin rape became the focus of a campaign against sexual abuse atthe Fiesta, highlighting many other similar cases, and condemning the impunity showed by the corrupt political justice system, as well as the links between machismo, bull torture, catholic nationalism and rape in the ‘culture’ of the Spanish right.
The sentencing of the rapists came just weeks after the first ever women’s General Strike on March 8th with an unprecedented awakening to the abuse , denigration and discrimination against women.
A heavy sentence was expected but the judges ruled there was no proof of rape, that the girl didn’t protest loud enough, and reduced the charge to ‘abuse’. For this they got 9 years each.. but  with endless appeals and certain clemency they will likely never go to jail, like the hundreds of corrupt poiliticians charged but enjoying immunity..

Demonstrations called on social media have multiplied already across Spain to express the rejection of the decision of the court
(Ara report by ENRIC BORRÀS / MARIONA FERRER)  Thousands of people – most of them women – have quickly concentrated in the Plaça Sant Jaume de Barcelona. Continuar leyendo «1000’s of Women Protest as Gang Rape 5 get Light Sentences and Victim Blamed»

The Midcat gas pipeline is a 3000 million euro FRAUD says EU Report!

Finally the truth comes out, it never made sense, except as a way to get EU construction funds and fat commissions for Spanish politicians funds. Why would ‘Europe’ import gas to Spain and then pump it to France when they can get it cheaper through many underused local facilities? How would ‘Europe’ get cheap Algerian gas by pipelines which only have the capacity for half the Iberian market? We’ve been saying this for years, but now a report commissioned by the EU has said it… Does this mean the second half of Midcat will never be built?

Why destroy the country for a Pipeline which ‘will never carry gas’?

Exclusive: Viability of French-Spain gas pipeline questioned – report

/article/us-france-spain-gas-by Geert De Clercq – A report prepared for the European Commission has questioned the economic viability of plans to build a huge gas pipeline between Spain and France designed to boost security of supply in Europe, five sources told Reuters.

The Commission has long backed the 3 billion euro ($3.7 billion) Midi-Catalonia (Midcat) pipeline that would more than double the amount of gas that can be piped across the Pyrenees mountains that border the two nations. Continuar leyendo «The Midcat gas pipeline is a 3000 million euro FRAUD says EU Report!»

Anti Fascist ‘Republican Spring’ in Spain: tributes, acts and mobilizations

 by  Kaos en La Red      translation by  the Freeonline
 The initiatives that took place throughout the State seek to recover the memory of those who built the Republic, of the repressed by the Franco regime and to restore the relevance of the republican message as a rupture with the Bourbon regime inherited from the Franco regime.
The Second Republic is reborn on April 14 across the country through tributes in memory of the reprisals

By Sabela Rodríguez Álvarez

Cities like Madrid, Seville or Zaragoza celebrate demonstrations and events this Saturday to remember the proclamation of the Second Republic 87 years ago
Barcelona begins its Republican Spring, while territories such as Pamplona or Palma de Mallorca extend their activities around the date
Some city councils have already announced that they will hang the tricolor from the municipal buildings, despite the sanctions they may have to assume

This Saturday marks 87 years since the monarchy of Alfonso XIII came to an end to open a new stage. The Second Republic was proclaimed progressively on April 14, 1931 in the squares of the town halls that rushed to hoist the tricolor flag.

The republican project materialized in a period of eight years and that culminated in the end imposed by the uprising of the military and the victory of the national side. The years of dictatorship ended up burying the republican experience, which was then a silent memory. Continuar leyendo «Anti Fascist ‘Republican Spring’ in Spain: tributes, acts and mobilizations»

Catalan President faces 30 yrs Jail.. Police Attack.. Assange Gagged.

Madrid ratchets up Catalonia independence crackdown

Graphic images of the recent clashes between protesters and police in Barcelona serve as a stark reminder of the political repression Catalans have suffered at the hands of Madrid since voting for independence.

Assange’s internet cut over Catalonia crackdown tweet – source close to WikiLeaks Mar 25

»In 1940 the elected president of Catalonia, Lluís Companys, was captured by the Gestapo, at the request of Spain, delivered to them and executed. Today, German police have arrested the elected president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, at the request of Spain, to be extradited».

Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona last Sunday, and the days following, to protest the arrest in Germany of former separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. Dozens of protesters were injured by the all-too-familiar heavy-handed tactics employed by police against pro-independence demonstrators – adding to the indignity of Puigdemont’s politically-motivated detention.
Protesters clash with riot police in Barcelona on March 25, 2018 © Lluis Gene / AFP

Over 80 people have been injured in clashes with riot police in Barcelona and elsewhere across Catalonia, as angry protesters denounced the arrest of former separatist leader Carles Puigdemont in Germany earlier on Sunday. Continuar leyendo «Catalan President faces 30 yrs Jail.. Police Attack.. Assange Gagged.»

Anarchists in the Catalan Struggle “Without Feminism There Will Be No Revolution”

The #Barcelona Interview Series – Oca Gracia: “Without a Feminist Perspective There Will Be No Revolution”

This the first interview of our „Barcelona Interview Series“. On November 17, 2017, we spoke with anarchist comrades Jordi and Maria (both names changed) of the Oca Gracia collective in Barcelona, about the so-called Catalan process.

  • What were the main reasons for you to get involved, if you are involved, in the process of the independence movement?

Maria: The independence movement has a long history in Catalonia. The thing is… for so many years the idea of independence was linked with leaving the Spanish state. To break with the fascist characteristics of the Spanish state. It was mostly linked with leftwing ideas. In 2011 the conservative party Convergència i Unió (CiU) started to put independence as an important point on their agenda. As something attractive to get votes. The independence issue started to get mainstream.

For us the thing of being kind of involved in this, is mostly to get back to those original ideas. We are involved because we think it’s powerful to use this phase in which Catalonia is leaving (Spain) to promote ideas like breaking the power of the state, empowering people to self-organization and to bring-in anarchist ideas; like questioning the law, questioning what is legitimate and what is legal. This is something that a lot of people are questioning nowadays. We like to promote these ideas. Not the idea of creating a new republic, a new capitalistic state, but the idea of breaking Spain. Breaking the big political and economic force that Spain is and all the fascist ideals it has held for so many years. Continuar leyendo «Anarchists in the Catalan Struggle “Without Feminism There Will Be No Revolution”»

Defense Committees in the Catalan Uprising: anarchist style People Power can Win

  
Activists around Europe are buzzing with the  arrival of a new revolutionary force. The Catalan CDRs.. the Republic Defence Committees, characterized by direct, decentralized assembly action. Anarchist organisations except for their aim for a new StateIn just a few weeks over 172 CDRs have sprung up. This is in response to the neo fascist paramilitary repression, jailings and abolition of limited local government. CDRs,, for example in Manresa have called demonstrations up to 5,000 strong a few days after being formed.

The Defence Committees can be traced back to those created by the CNT in the Spanish Revolution to defend the 2nd Republic from  a fascist takeover, which morphed into the revolutionary militias. This time round the CDRs have largely been inspired by the small but influential CUP, a remarkable ‘anarcho-republican’ anti capitalist party.

And then there was the 2nd General Strike on Wed 8th Nov. It was billed as a big flop, called by the tiny CSC, opposed or ignored by all the Trade Unions and faced with massive paramilitary police repression and a pending banning order. Just days before the  Madrid based regime had sponsored  fleets of coaches and even trains to bring in thousands of violent right wing ‘demonstrators’, for a huge demo openly led by thugs sporting swastikas, zieg heils and Francoist symbols.

Is this 1936?? People are pouring out of the barrios and blocking the roads

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Nevertheless before 6.00am  on 8th Nov.  thousands of people were blocking the main North -South A7 Motorway from France and Spain in the freezing winter night. Northbound the motorway was closed for over 13 hours at the  La Jonquera French border. Southbound it was still closed at 9.00 pm at Ampolla. Continuar leyendo «Defense Committees in the Catalan Uprising: anarchist style People Power can Win»

New Catalan Strike for Prisoners and Republic amid Far-right Repression

Update Update Update The General Strike in Catalunya called for Wed 8th Nov by small Intersindical-CSC trade union has been supported by the USTEC education union and the main Republican civil groups, Òmnium and ANC .

The strike is to protest the jailing of protest leaders and Government ministers, the occupation of paramilitary security forces, the imposition of Direct Rule, etc

However the majority CCOO (ex comminist) and UGT (ex socialist) trade unions again came out against it and the anarchist  CGT made a statement in favour but left it to their members to decide individually, arguing they haven’t time to consult them. 

All schools and Universities and public offices will certainly close down as well as cities like Girona and LLeida which have a native Catalan majority.

But the bosses organisation Foment de Treball have taken a High Court case to declare the General Strike Illegal.

The neo-fascists in Madrid have been hiring fleets of coaches and even trains to bring in thousands of violent right wing ‘demonstrators’, as seen at last weekend’s huge demo openly led by thugs sporting swastikas, zieg heils and Francoist symbols.

The insidious campaign is to split Catalan society down the middle. over 40% of the population are workers from Spain, most are well integrated over generations with families who consider themselves Catalan. Mixed marriages are common and normal with the 2 languages coexisting perfectly in their homes. Tension between the communities has been minimal (as in ex Yugoslavia before politicians whipped up xenophobia for personal power).

The anarchists too are divided, actively calling and sup`porting the 3rd Oct General Strike from an anti nationalist workers standpoint, but reluctant to continue if a nationalist civil conflict in Catalunya is provoked.

The Spanish nationalist media these days has become a torrent of anti Catalan hatred and outright lies. With an explosion of racist attacks the General Strike on Wednesday and the ‘Mega Demo’ on Sat 11th could finally break the self imposed pacifist stance of the Catalan republicans, which is what the State needs to justify mass criminalization of the majority democratic movement.


                we include below a translation of a key text                

A triumph of popular mobilization


by LLuita Internationalista  on Barcelona Indymedia    The proclamation of the Catalan Republic is the expression of the will of the people of Catalonia to break with the Monarchy. It is the result of a permanent and massive popular mobilization (demos of over a million for 5 years) , which, until  now, has forced the governments of the Generalitat Catalan Govt to apply the popular mandate. The regime of the transition, which Franco left «tied up and well tied up « (by his legacy) is in its most serious crisis, cracked and may not survive. Continuar leyendo «New Catalan Strike for Prisoners and Republic amid Far-right Repression»