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Report from Barcelona

Guido | 16.03.2002 11:54 Barcelona EU

Report from day 1 of the Barcelona protests, 4 events

Report from Barcelona
Report from Barcelona


9.ooam first port of call is Sagada familia for the "Lobby Busters" action. For the the first half hour there are few activists, many police and even more press. The Police are searching everyone and getting increasingly twitchy as the numbers grow. At 9.45 they put on their riot gear. At 10.20 critical mass arrives blocking a nearby junction. Critical mass becomes corporate media mass as the afformentioned journos rush into the road much to the annoyance of the stuck motorists and watching plods who intervene to unblock the road.
As the assembled "lobby busters" move off behind a drumming band, the Police without warning or provocation, lay into a section of the crowd hospitalising at least one person and severely beating several others
including several journos with visable EU press accreditation. To their credit the protesters refuse to be provoked and the march moves off complete with band and several giant puppets. Before long a surprisingly loud sound system joins and people start dancing, even the police seem to mellow out a bit. First port of call is "La Caixa" bank where speeches and visuals are provided to list their various crimes against humanity. This is followed by several more theatrical visits to places of interest. The mood remained calm and festive when we left at 1.00pm to head for Liceu.
We arrive to find that several thousand people have gathered for an action called "MARS ATTACKS! Millionaires can cry too". The Police presence is large and intimidating, by half two both sides have had enough of each other, some bottles are thrown and all hell breaks loose. Again the Police wade into the crowd beating anything that gets in their way including several press photographers and tourists. Fighting breaks out in several side streets and continues for about half and hour until the Police eventually regain control by locking down the entire area and closing Liceu station.
At 7.30 we are at La Gracia for a roving demo in solidarity with south american countries who are suffering under neo liberalism and being abused by the CIA. The demo has a Samba band a giant stilt walking Uncle Sam/death, and several puppets and banners aimed at Coca Cola amongst others. Rallys are held at the embassys for Columbia, Uraguay, Brazil and Cuba. At the Cuban building embassy workers come to the window and hang out a Cuban flag and banner saying "NOBODY SURRENDERS HERE!!". The demo is loud, proud and peaceful.
At 10.30 the days events are rounded off with a memorial picket for Carlo Guiliani. 300 gather in a park in the northeast of the city to hear speeches light candles and remember Carlo. A moving end to a hectic day.
Elsewhere in the city the fighting continues with several arrests and more people injured.

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Guido

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

Solidarity with European Protesters

17.03.2002 04:25

We just want to express our solidarity with our European comrades. The large numbers are inspiring.

We would know nothing of this if it weren't for activists and alternative press. Salud!

Aman & Annie
mail e-mail: asomas@prodigy.net


Shame the summit was not shut down.

17.03.2002 10:07

It is a shame that even with 100,000 people on the streets of Barcelona the demonstrators failed to shut down the European Union summit. The demonstrators should have been better organised and made plans on how to shut down the summit like they managed to shut down the WTO conference in Seatle in November 1999.

steelgate


Seattle

17.03.2002 17:55

What Steelgate seems to forget is that in Seattle the police where taken on the bed. I agree that it would be nice if possible to shut down another summit, but to do that with the same tactics is probably not gonna work. If we could get even more numbers out, or a whole new approach, then it would be possible.

fiona


Solidarity across the globe

17.03.2002 23:27

It is one of the greatest activist activities that can ever happen to challange ",the ever so powerful," Globalizers, EU, WTO, IMF, World Bank, USA, and all the other 2 to 3 letter institutions. But, what we need to do is make the demo's stretch across the globe in solidarity with the main actraction in Europe, USA, South America. For example: The demo in Spain this past weekend was awesome and brought out thousands of people or 500,000, the American media is downplaying the numbers,but wouldnt it be nicer if thousands of people gathered in solidarity with the main event going on. So for the people across the globe we could gather at some symbol of globalization.....I am sure it already happenes, but anyway just an idea to make the demo even more powerful....comrade, unabomber666

unabomber666
mail e-mail: xdisciplinex24@aol.com


from Barcelona

18.03.2002 10:28

People. We have been more than 500,000 people in Barcelona. The Populars' party (Aznar) is the third political force in Catalonia (which is a nation and diferent, but not better, from Spain) and this is important. Probably, in Madrid, thinks will be differents. In the Spanish satate the police works different that in Central Europe countries or USA. They don't make any block, they just attack with bullets and they have been more than 10,000. So, is not easy to move in this situations, dear yankees...

Contra l'Europa del capital


answer to woMan of USA

19.03.2002 15:25

I have to add that the police has learnt a lot of the last manifestation in summer 2001 in barcelona (and others) and it's not as easy as you suppose. Don't just criticice when you don't know the circumstances, be solidarian. Thanks.

one


Solidarity from the US

21.03.2002 15:45

The events in Barcelona this weekend are inspiring, and I want to send a message of gratitude and solidarity from one comrade in the US. Our movement is growing.
la lucha sigue
Nate

Nate


Don't forget the damage to multinationls

27.03.2002 18:47

Having been to BCN I witnessed an additional side of the protests: though traditional and commercial media do not mention it, on Friday hundreds of offices throughout the city have been attacked, maily by "normals", ie. not self-proclaimed "hard core fighters". Around the Ramblas, not small shops or family businesses were targeted, but multinational, banks, insurance and computer stores, as well as "real estate" and "security" agencies or city institutions co-ordinating speculation with old and "squatted" buildings.
No "civilians" nor protesters hurt, as far as info reached us.
More jobs for small-scale glass workers, cleaning companies, carpenters, electricians, and service workers created, at least 1 mio. Euro to be renewed!
Those selling public goods that belong to all human beings, like water, land, living space, and nature have to realize, YOUR THEFT DOES NOT PAY OFF.

Edo Gueliano


Don't forget the damage to multinationls

27.03.2002 18:47

Having been to BCN I witnessed an additional side of the protests: though traditional and commercial media do not mention it, on Friday hundreds of offices throughout the city have been attacked, maily by "normals", ie. not self-proclaimed "hard core fighters". Around the Ramblas, not small shops or family businesses were targeted, but multinational, banks, insurance and computer stores, as well as "real estate" and "security" agencies or city institutions co-ordinating speculation with old and "squatted" buildings.
No "civilians" nor protesters hurt, as far as info reached us.
More jobs for small-scale glass workers, cleaning companies, carpenters, electricians, and service workers created, at least 1 mio. Euro to be renewed!
Those selling public goods that belong to all human beings, like water, land, living space, and nature have to realize, YOUR THEFT DOES NOT PAY OFF.

Edo Gueliano