three weeks of protest and anti war pro peace news from Barcelona.

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday April 04, 2003 18:05 by ipsiphi - espai alliberat contre le guerra ipsiphi at diplomats dot com barcelona

the main things that happened and are happening.

of the million known to support the movement large participation is expected at April 15. and several days before for general strikes and national work stoppages. It seems silly to write but in a way no day has had normal city activity. The council have admitted to losing at least 100million to student road blocking alone. Barcelona is it's usual tranquil cilivised self though.

those with the most experience are comparing these weeks to 2001 when BCN stopped the World Bank meeting. There is the same sense of cohesion and popular will. The envelope has been opened to the same level for the marginalised to voice again their concerns.
So energy is also being put into housing issues and the vital issue of ending the PP reign.

There are occupational peace camps in Central Barcelona and surrounding areas.
Plaça Sant Jaume :

the square between Catalan Government and Council.
this was opened by students of the "belles arts, philosophy and literature schools of the university and "espai alliberat contre la guerra",
Cine Colom :smaller student and local neighbourhood camp.

This camp is the main one, non negotiable and loud. The wall of the government is muralled for peace and bears pictures of a soldier at an oil rig, peace messages in arabic and the slogal "espai alliberat contre la guerra".
It took one week of persistance and creativity to achieve this. The authorities being the Catalan policeforce have expressed their interest in allowing civicism and pacifist activity here.

The flags of the city, CAtalonia and BCN are at half mast on the Council building.

For the evening of the declaration of War the flags were lowered on the Catalan Gov as well.

The first days of the war "espai alliberat" re-opened the refugee and non paper immigrant squats in the poorest parts of the city.
Our "home" site was designated
C/arc del teatre 58 at avenue Parallel.
it had previously been
Placeta del Pi.
other buildings including one on C/Doctor Fleming were also opened. But Espai activity is now focussed on Placa S. Jaume the seat of Government.

The anti-war symbol is everywhere. many street signs have been converted, also the stencil symbol of the "espai alliberat" as well, a fish jumping out of water, it looks like a circle of fishes. it represents space being opened, liberated.

The pirate radio stations have given live feed of all demonstrations there really have been far to many to list, and the Council authorities and Government being in an election countdown are well to be honest very manipulated by the most active protest groups.

Direct action and civil disobedience has touched on confrontation. 26/3 the main shopping concern "Corte Ingles" was closed after a large group liberated the "jamon" [a traditional spanish ham]. The shop closed its doors for the first time in history and has since closed its doors at the sign of any protesters. There were several arrests.

: Pla del Palau [tel: 627.081.873 | webcam] :
http://www.evolucio.net/webcam/

central city area infront of the Spanish Government delagation. opened by the old city platform Aturem la Guerra.
limited trouble for the first week as this building is guarded by the National Spanish Police the knid you find in MAdrid and see on the TV.
: Plaça Francesc Macià [PP]
at the offices of the PP the reconstructed fascist party of Aznar there is also an encampment. This is very popular with students and marches routing to this site have caused normal traffic and logistics to be cut for half of the day. This has occured nine days.
A man in his eighties was arrested and fined for attacking this office but mostly arrests have been low.

other sites of concentration outside of the city are

:: Alt Maresme i Mataró :: ELX :: Horta :: Plaça Catalunya

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As of a week the platform has opened a neighbourhood by neighbourhood consultation on the direction of the camapaign and allowed the people to register the opinions and wishes so as not to be manipulated by the mainstream political parties.

http://www.consultaguerra.org/

74 areas have registered the results so far at
http://www.consultaguerra.org/resultats3.php?idioma=es

there is a strong presence of the thinking of the group "altre democracia es possible" a anarko-collective that is trying to encourage local decision making. This works, but makes reporting of these actions, debates and participation difficult to report, just too much work folks!

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THe cacerola of many names the noise protest of banging pots is nightly and begins at 22h00.
THe whole city participates. Then from 22h15 there are heard concentrating cacerola marches to the seats of government and other areas.
This is unpopular with old people and babies.
but the Authorities prefer it.

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There have been many marches on the airbases as well. The socialists are formulating theory for the next phase of Constitutional review. Catalonia is about to renegotiate the relationship with the Spanish peninsula government. The last really large demonstration was last Sunday. There are marches to the bases every day. These are popular for electoral reasons with the centre left elements.

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There has been a marked increase of normal social political awareness. The Catalan republicans are campaigning for a housing project. The four radical left parties IVC,ERC,IU,VI appear to be working together very well at mobilising their supporters in different areas of concern to the common good and not always the areas of traditional concern.

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each of the camps has a debate and activity timetable.
scroll down the frontpage of BCN indymedia and look for
:: ATUREM EL MÓN ::
per
:: ATURAR LA GUERRA ::
|n|o| |e|n|s| |r|e|p|r|e|s|e|n|t|e|n|

to stop war stop the world.
they do not represent us.
that's where clicking bits will show you pictures and info.
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