Wave of citizens flood the cities of Spain to claim back civil rights

La Marea Cuidadana (or Citizens wave) movement marched on Sunday to protest against the regression of civil rights and liberties. The movement brings together the various tides of health, education and social service issues.

The date of the march coincided with the anniversary of the first demonstration.

Thousands of participants stormed the streets of several cities across Spain: Madrid, Valencia, Almería, Málaga, Segovia in central Spain and Gijón in Asturias in the north. The theme of the event was “For our rights and liberties, against the “coup” to democracy. No to repression.”

 

The movement aims to put an end to a law which fines protest marches, even peaceful ones between 30,000 and 600,000 euros, they also called for the proposed legislation restricting abortion to be abolished.

 

Workers from the Coca-Cola plants due to be shut down joined the protest after negotiation attempts between unions and management failed.

 

Despite the company being several million in profit, it wants to “restructure” in order to “improve efficiency” by closing factories in Alicante, Madrid and Asturias, shedding 750 jobs and “relocating” 500 other staff members.

But employees say these 500 “relocations” are merely “clandestine redundancies” since most workers at the plants have “mortgages, friends and family” where they live and cannot simply uproot their lives.

 

The privatisation in various parts of Spain of everything from fire brigades to the health service and even blood transfusions will cost the State even more, which will come out of the taxpayer’s pocket, claim demonstrators.

http://mareaciudadana.blogspot.com.es/

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Euro Weekly News Media

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments