Day of action against Gender Violence

During November 24th and 25th throughout the Catalan countries, different actions, info-talks, etc, took place which included several political and social organisations to denounce the ongoing violence against women not only by isolated men but also by the inequality originated from the capitalist system in which we live.

More than 650 women have been assassinated by male violence within the Spanish State since the start of the 21st century. Of these more than 200 were residents in the Catalan Countries, and nearly a 100 of them residents in Catalonia.

These facts however, are only the top of the iceberg of the thousands of women’s lives, with names and surnames, who suffer the humiliation, vexation, repression, slavery and the beatings only because they have been born women.

Political activists argue that the measures to eradicate this kind of violence are insufficient within society and that the priority of this struggle it’s still being misunderstood and uncared for.

WORKER’S SOLIDARITY DEMONSTRATION

‘Re-admitance of SEAT workers made redundant, stop redundancies and clousures of
Sysmo, Mercedes Benz i Frape Behr factory plants’

Around 1.000 workers from the various factory plants of Mercedes Benz, Frape Behr & Sysmo protested on October 28th in Barcelona in defense of their work places and to demand the continuity of production in the plant.

A coffin with a man-sized puppet representing a worker walked at the fore-front of the march.

Trade unions supporting the workers argue that ‘the problem within the motor industry is a global issue. But to insist that nothing can be done in front of the multinationals globalization and devastation of the industry, it means falling in defeat and to submit workers to very poor labour conditions’.

People throughout have been encouraged to go out on to the streets of Barcelona on December the 2nd to express their rejection to the present situation and to demand trade unions to take proper syndical actions to put pressure on Seat, VW, GM or Faurecia, to keep on workers and to better their present work conditions.

Endavant

THE PLATFORM ‘FOR THE RIGHT TO DECIDE’ CALL FOR A UNITY DEMONSTRATION ON DECEMBER THE 1st

After months of absolute chaos within the railway service due to the AVE’s (High Velocity Train) rail construction around Barcelona County and the lack of power decision that the Catalan Government has upon the issues affecting thousands of ordinary train users, it has sparked uproar and indignation amongst the Catalan population.

The slogan for the demo will be: “We are a nation and we say enough! We’ve the right to decide upon our infrastructures!”

A spokesperson for the platform says: ‘we aim at gathering a large number of people at a national level, to protest against the chaos within the infrastructures and rail nets in Catalonia, and to demand upon the Spanish State the right of the Catalan people to decide the model of country that we want, not depending of the Spanish State’.

Source: CAL

NO MORE REPRESSION AGAINST THE YOUTH WHO STRUGGLE

On the night of the 21st to the 22nd of November, several youths from Tarragona made a symbolic attack on the military barracks of the ‘Civil Guard’ of this city by throwing several paint bombs and eggs to the front of the building. This was an action that was part of a national campaign by the CAJEI (Coordinator of the Youth Assemblies of the Independentist Left) entitled “Subversion to Conquer Freedom”.

This action was aimed at questioning the very existence of this Spanish repressive military body which is still present throughout the Catalan Countries, as well as to condemn their post-Francoist and torturer course.

After the action 4 young people were arrested and brought to the police station where they were read their rights and handcuffed afterwards. Next day they were brought to a room to give statement but they refused to. They were released with charges relating to acts of public disorder.

Members of the organisation supported the action by recognizing it as legitimate for it was a response and rejection of this military body as well as the fascist symbolism that it endorses and, which it imposed throughout the Catalan region preventing its social and national emancipation as a people.

KNOWING THE PAST, TO WIN THE FUTURE OF THE NORTH CATALANS

The North-Catalans already suffer the separation from the rest of the Catalan Countries which happened nearly three and a half centuries ago.

This year’s annual demonstration in Perpignan an estimated 1.000 people gathered. At the fore-front of this commemoration was the Federation for the Defense of the Catalan Language and Culture in North Catalonia, and de Coordinator of Associations for the Catalan Language (CAL).

Also in attendance was the presence of the youth Independentist organisation Maulets, who carried a banner which read: "Neither Spanish Monarchy nor French Republic", in support to the present anti-monarchic campaign throughout the Catalan Countries.

The annual speech at the end of the demonstration reminded everyone of a year of financial and social wreckage, but also a year of struggle and resistance from North Catalonia: against all the French State’s attacks on local institutions, the campaign against the MAT (Line of High Tension) and the TGV (Train of High Velocity) as well as the struggle against racism and labour conditions, which were some of the issues that marked the 2007.

You can view more on this by visiting the L’Accent website: http://www.laccent.cat/

March of torches: December 22nd

Another year has passed, and around Christmas time, Rescat 'Catalan political prisoners' support group organizes a march of torches in solidarity with the Catalan political prisoners and demanding their release.

Rescat calls for the participation and collaboration of anyone who can organise a march in their home town or by assisting a similar solidarity event organised nearest you.

This year's rally date for all towns and cities will be December 22nd across the Catalan Countries. More information on this will follow shortly.
Also this is the time of year when we call on all recipients of Llibertat! – Saoirse! to please remember all political prisoners. We would like you as a gesture of international solidarity with those on the inside.
Send a solidarity message, a few lines of support to boost morale to the following Catalan Political Prisoners currently being held by the Spanish and French States. Please note that all Christmas Cards and post cards must be posted by December 10th.

Laura Riera Valenciano: CENTRE PENITENCIARI DE DONES DE BARCELONA, Carrer Doctor Trueta, 76-98, PPCC.

Marina Bernadó Bonada: (353 922 Y), MAISON D’ARRÊT DE FLEURY MEROGIS ( femmes ), 9 Allée des Thuyas, 91700 Sainte Genevieve des Bois Cedex, PARIS, France.

Zigor Larredonda Muñoz: CENTRO PENITENCIARIO DE ALBACETE, Ctra. de Ayora, km. 72, 02006 Albacete

Dolores Lopez Resina: CENTRO PENITENCIARIO DE ÁVILA, Ctra. de Vicolozano, 05194 Brieva (Ávila)

Diego Sànchez Burria: CP Can Brians, Carretera de Martorell a Capellades, km 23, 08635 Sant Esteve Sesrovires, PPCC.

Isabel Llaquet Baldellou: PRISIÓN DE Valencia II, A.C 1002, 46225 Picassent (Valencia), PPCC.

Solidarity Mobilisaton with the Kurdish people in Barcelona

“Let’s stop Turkey’s aggressions to Kurdistan- Peace, Democracy and Freedom for the Kurdissh people”. The Catalan campaign in solidarity with the Kurdish people is made up of different organisations such as Endavant and the Platform against the War, amongst others. There’s a rally organised in front of the Turkish consulate in Barcelona on Thursday November 29th.

In front of a huge possibility of a military operation by the Turkish army against PKK bases in South Kurdistan, the campaign activists would like to invite collectives, trade unions, and other organisations to join by signing up an email in the campaign’s address: poblekurd@gmail.com

For more info: http://poblekurd.blogspot.com http://www.aturemlaguerra.org

The Spanish State condemns two Catalan political activists for burning the picture of the king in public

After a long campaign of support and solidarity throughout the Catalan Countries, on November 20th, a judge in the National Audience court in Madrid, condemned Jaume Roura and Enric Stern to 2.730 euros, instead of 15 months imprisonment as first requested, for burning the picture of the Spanish king during a demonstration in Girona due to the monarch’s visit to the city some previous months.

Both Jaume and Enric admitted responsibility for the actions. The judge expressed uneasiness at the fact that they spoke in Catalan and commented that as Spanish citizens they had the obligation to know and speak the Spanish language and, even not understanding the detainees’ statements, he never provided a translator.
Support gatherings were held during the trial outside court and throughout the Catalan Countries.

This is not the only open file against ‘injuries to the crown’. The judge
Fernando Grande-Marlaska keeps an open file of another 18 youths who participated in a protest, also in Girona, on September 22nd.

The anti-repressive organisation Alerta solidària has complained that the regional police, Mossos d’Esquadra, aid the Spanish repressive institutions by keeping unlawful political files on hundreds of activists

There’s a solidarity funds collection to help the other twenty defendants organised by the campaign ‘I also burn the Spanish Crown!’
(www.noalrei.elsud.org)

Police repression in solidarity demo in Barcelona

Due to the cold blooded murder of an antifascist youth in Madrid earlier this month, more than a thousand people took to the streets of Barcelona in solidarity with Carlos, the boy assassinated, and in condemnation of fascism and the governmental institutions’ cover ups on the matter.

Police did their best to prevent the mobility of the march and in numerous occasions charged brutally against demonstrators.

At one stage a swastika sign was burned as a symbol of refusal to fascism.

Participants argued: …” this is another clear attempt by the authorities to prevent an act of free expression such as protesting, as it has been done in previous occasions; making the Catalan ministerial institutions accomplice of the Spanish State’s consent of fascist activities for its their legacy from dictator Franco.”

MARCH TO WAD-RAS PRISON (Barcelona)

Around 50 people participated on October 27th in the march organised by Rescat to the women Wad-Ras prison, where Catalan political prisoner Laura Riera was moved last August. During the march participants shouted slogans in favor of the release of political prisoners.

Police presence was clearly visible all the time. At the end of the march, at the arrival to the prison, in front of a police security cord, a statement was from Rescat and another from Laura were read.

To finalize the day of action, a solidarity dinner was organised.

Laura Riera’s statement read at the march:

Salut comrades,
Once again it’s only the thickness of the wall prison that separates us from one another. It’s only the bricks that prevents us to be closer physically. However, for me, for us all, this is a re-encounter!!!! We know that actions such as this one, are a show of cheering, of strength and of fighting spirit.

Some months ago we met in Picassent and now we meet in in the old working class area of Poble Nou (Barcelona). Some months back I was along with Diego (partner) and now with Dídac (son) a baby who gives me more reasons to keep struggling for people’s self-determination and social justice in the world.

As myself, as well as you all do, we struggle for a future where Dídac and his people will live in freedom and equality. We know that this is not easy but we are ready to keep going, to preserve our truth, in our desires, in our victory!

I’d like you all to know that from the window in my wing I can see the graffiti that reads: “ Freedom Laura Riera, prisoners to the street “. And things as such as well as the march today, being beside my son, it’s what keeps me going in our struggle, amongst you all, amongst my people!!!

TO STRUGGLE: IT’S THE ONLY WAY
Laura Riera.