MASSIVE DEMONSTRATIONS ALL OVER SPAIN

Thursday 19^th July evening millions of people marched along the Spanish streets against the austerity measures adopted by the government last Friday and ratified by the parliament this morning. More than 500.000 protesters occupied Madrid city centre and 350.000 Barcelona.  Demonstrations took place in 80 cities all over the country. They were the largest demonstrations since 1981, when citizens took the streets defending democracy against the attempt to a coup d’état.

Let me remark some aspects of the protests beyond a massive people attendance. Demonstrations were organised by the two main Spanish trade unions (CCOO and UGT, 80% of the workers representatives are members of these unions) and supported by smaller trade unions like USO (close to right-wing parties) or CGT (anarchist). Several professional unions (i.e. CSIF, public employees’ union) also joined the marches. For the first time a demonstration organized by working-class trade unions was backed by judge, soldier and “guardia civil” associations (all of them are not allowed to join unions). Consumer organizations, the National Artists’ Federation, the Spanish Youth Council, the National Coordinating Committee of Ranchers and Farmers, the Coordinating Committee of NGO-Development, the Confederation of Parents of Students and lot of women organizations also supported the demonstrations.

Nevertheless one of the most stunning images was the large cortège of police associations marching side by side with “usual” demonstrators. Sardonically several protesters shouted “Today they don’t beat us! Today they are our friends!” By the way, other astonishing event of the day was connected with police! The wheels of 96 anti-riot vehicles were punctured in the parking of one of the biggest police headquarters in Madrid. Obviously the unknown responsible of this sabotage were policemen detached in the station in order to avoid a possible intervention against protesters.

These remarkable mobilizations shouldn’t hide thousands of more discreet ones which are taking place in the last weeks, the most of them out of the union’s control. Every day, at the end of the working day or at the coffee break, public employees go out of their working places and establish road blocks for 10-15 minutes provoking traffic jams all over the cities. Or every Friday, in the latest months, lot of public employees wears in black clothes in their working places as a sign of protest against the social cuts. They are the so called “Mourning Fridays”.

Let me just summarise, Spanish people is fed up with unfair and useless social cuts. The outcome of three years of austerity packages, social and labour cuts is more unemployment, more poverty, more inequality, no economic growth, increasing bond spread, deeper budgetary imbalances and a widespread feeling of frustration between working and middle classes. That’s recall the atmosphere of mitteleuropa in the late 20’s as Stephan Zweig described in his memories. There is only one thing that we lack: a populist party.

"FOR SALE - My future"