Squatter murdered by Nazi skins

by .:. Mon Dec 13, 2004 03:27

Roger was stabbed in the neck in the first nights of the annual Gracía festival.
Gracía is suburb of Barcelona, a predominantly republican area which before the effects of "bourgoisification" and speculation used boast the highest number of squats in the city.
A gang of highly organised skinheads came to the festival from other parts of the state, with the full intent of attacking people.
There were 70 of them. Their actions were recorded on their site, a neo nazi and supremacist and fascist umbrella group called España 2000.

In the immediate aftermath, the authorities wished to shift blame and tried to call it a "rival gang scuffle". There was an immediate impression that the assailant (who had previous for beating a youth to the point where he lost a testicle) was released rather than admit that organised fascist and hate groups could be active in undermining what is normally a family street festival. (The streets are decorated with recycled material, a competition is held for the best street and music is played every night and everyone usually has a very good time).

I attended the "ojos de brujo" concert some nights afterwards and completely concur with the lead singer's statement "this could have happened to any of us". Because it's true.

In the immediate aftermath, I passed comment here on the belief prevalent in Italy and Spain that all to often there are hate filled supremacists who are "skinheads by night" and "soldiers/police by day". A comment which though supported on barcelona indymedia and other sites with ample evidence was dismissed here as "paranoid".

Roger has now died. He spent the last four months of his life lingering between life and death and in Spain tonight there are hate filled murderers and sympathists who remember their "attack on the catalans" last summer.

Such hatred is not unknown in Ireland either.
In neighbouring england the home secretary Blunkett has issued a statement in The Guardian today explaining why he wishes to outlaw religious hatred there. In Ireland we regularly read on indymedia reports of racial and religiously based hate attacks.

What can we do?

Well for one we don't ignore it.
We don't allow it be "swept under the carpet".
If we as societies in "civilised Europe" are engaging in reclamation of "memory" of times past, in Italy of the fascism of the Mussolini and the subsequent turn to Mafia domination, or in Spain the atrocities of the Falangists who so inspired Roger's killers, then surely we can recognise the same social cancer that causes Chinese, Turkish and other immigrants to live in fear in God's own Ulster, and for Nigerians to bear the brunt of Mc Dowell's policies.

Meanwhile one link, Barcelona indymedia has been suffering problems and has gone off line since the news of Roger's death broke. I will ( or someone else will ) update you all a.s.a.p.

Roger, .:. REST.
no olbidem.

don't forget. because they are so happy and keen to remember. They twist our words, our histories, they killed our grandparents & they still killed our young.