éirígí: For A Socialist Republic

Spirit of Franco still haunts Spanish politics

11/02/09

A rally for Democracy 3 Million A celebratory event is due to take place in Dublin this Saturday (February 14) to remember the recently-deceased International Brigade veteran Bob Doyle and the other Irishmen who took up the fight against fascism in Spain.

However, recent developments have once again showed that the spirit of Franco continues to haunt Spanish politics, especially when it comes to policy towards the Basque Country.

With elections coming up in March in the Spanish-occupied region of the Basque Country, the Spanish Supreme Court took the decision on Sunday (February 8) to ban two left-wing pro-independence parties from standing.

The two parties, Askatasuna and Democracy 3 Million (D3M), were banned for supposedly having links with Batasuna, the left-wing party that was banned by the Spanish Supreme Court in 2003 for having alleged links with the Basque armed group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA).

Arantza Urkaregi of D3M is arrested by Spanish police This attack on democracy was preceded by the arrest of leading members of D3M by Spanish police on January 23, their apparent crime – organising to stand in the upcoming elections.

As this situation continues to develop, there will be a number of events taking place in Dublin this weekend to highlight the ongoing repression of Basque nationalism by the Spanish state. The events are being organised by the Dublin branch of the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees.

Friday, February 13
Repression and Resistance in the Basque Country
With a representative of Kameradak, the Basque internationalist youth organisation
and a representative from the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees.

12.30 noon, Student Centre, Rooms 1 & 2, UCD, Montrose
3.00pm, Arts Block Room 5039, Trinity College, Dublin
8.00pm, Teachers’ Club, 36, Parnell Square, Dublin 1

Saturday 14th
No Time for Love in the Basque Country
Street protest against repression

11.00am in front of the GPO, O’Connell St.

The Basque picket will then join the International Brigade commemoration as it makes its way down O’Connell Street.

There will also be other pickets taking place around the country on Saturday.

Cork, 12noon, Daunt's Square
Belfast, 12.30pm, City Hall
Derry, 3.30pm, Free Derry Corner

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“If you strike at, imprison, or kill us, out of our prisons or graves we will still evoke a spirit that will thwart you, and perhaps, raise a force that will destroy you! We defy you! Do your worst!”