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7 buses stopped at the tolls of Martorell, Barcelona 16.03.02

pocahontas | 16.03.2002 19:09

7 buses, from Valencia, Alacant, and the basquian country were stopped, searched and films confiscated etc at the highway tolls of martorell, barcelona earlier today (noon) saturday 16/03.

Translation from Legal team communique from from
Campaign against Europe of Capital and War

Information: retained / sectioning of people in the highway in Martorell toll, Barcelona


During the morning 16.03.02, the lregal team for the Campaign against the Europe of capital and war, received a communique concerning police controls in the tolls Martorell of highway A-7, of buses in direction of Barcelona, due to tonights demonstration.

Two members from the Legal team together with a lawyer from the Campaign travelled to the locality of the Martorell tolls, 12 o’clock, identifying themselves as legal team to the numerous agents of the police (different groups ranging from National Guard to special forces).

Proceeding on arrival, the legal team had an interview with the head of the police forces in place, to whom it was manifested that the legal team was present to ensure that no legal and human rights were trespassed of the retained (sectioned) people, at the same time the team requested information if the intention was to return the buses to departure locations.

The answer from the head of police on site was that that their duties were to control people that were intending travelling to the demonstration in Barcelona, making emphasis that the police actions were according to the law and current legislation, not opposing our presence.

Afterwards we have spoken with people from the buses, at that point they were being identified, they explained to us that: in total there were 7 buses that had been stopped (3 from Alacant, 1 from Valencia and 1 from the Basquian country). The bus we spoke with was from Alacant, they have been retained (sectioned) for 3 hours, 1 hour with closed doors, not allowed to descend the bus at all. Every person had been identified, photographed with digital cameras, one by one, searching through all their belongings, requiring credit cards with the purpose to prove the cards were not false, confiscating magazines, film roles, etc. This search went to such extent that one person had to urinate on the same spot and was fined for this event.


According to this account we returned to the head of police on location, requiring that they were more agile and made faster the identification procedures, as well as requesting the reason for confiscating film roles. The answer we received was that this entirely false information and that in this location there was no material of this type been confiscated.

Finally, the bus could continue to next service area and we carried on as well with the purpose of continuing talking with them in more calmness.

Legal team
CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE EUROPE OF CAPITAL AND THE WAR

pocahontas