SEVILLE UPDATE and indymedia meeting

by IMC UK and IRELAND Thu Jun 20, 2002 17:50

From Social forum Seville
Massive arbitrary ID searches used to block access to information points and to the Communication and Press Center of Social Forum Seville.
The police engaged in massive arbitrary ID searches against people in Seville, including people seeking information who approached points established by the Social Forum of Seville in train and bus stations.

In the same way, they have tried to enter the Communication and Press Center to take ID and registration, impeding access.

Legal action has been initiated against the police to preserve civil rights, and repudiate the mere intimidation tactics of the police, which are meant to create a climate of tension and depression among all of us who work in the alternative summit in Seville and anyone who comes near us or is interested in our activities. Saludos from the Social Forum of Seville
From Indymedia UK
Some sources estimated the numbers attending at 100,000, but experienced activists put the number considerably lower at around 15,000.
The largest unions which called the General Strike: the UGT and CC.OO. were present as was the anarcho-syndicalist union the CGT, also backing the strike. Visible police presence was minimal, although like throughout the whole city there were large numbers of secret police, one of whom was dressed as a shopper with his baton protruding from his carrier-bag! Towards the rear of the march was a band and stilt-walkers who iniated a General Siesta Against Capitalism, providing much-needed rest and shelter from the scorching sun.

The other Spanish anarcho-syndicalist union, the CNT had a separate demonstration with more radical demands and was met with large numbers of riot police.

Apart from the demonstrators, the city was almost deserted with almost no shops open, except for a C&As and an Irish Pub.

For more information on the General Strike and the EU summit mobilisations check out
Starting at midnight diverse informative pickets began by using the cacerolada technique
Starting at midnight various diverse groups of picketers spread throughout the city to announce the beginning of the new day and of the General Strike. In the neighborhood of Vallecas 60 or 70 people used a cacerolada to let neighbors and businesses that were still open know that the Strike had begun. The neighbors, in many cases, came to the windows supporting the picket and all the business establishments closed (by 1:10 am). There were also caceroladas in: Lavapies, with 300 people who managed to close all the bars in the area; Retiro sur, where there was a small altercation with a little group of nazis (the cacerolada continued on until 2:55am); Prosperidad, where a group of 50 people managed to close all the establishments that were still open (they finished at 2am).
http://uk.indymedia.org/
for breaking news

EU Summit in Seville and General Strike

Seville is the host of the EU summit of 20-21 of June, marking the end of Spain's EU presidency . The main subjects of the Seville summit will be the armour of Europe and the toughening of the immigration laws. Two days of action against the Europe of Capital and War have been called by the Sevilla Social forum, unions and many groups of Spanish civil society.

Trade unions across Spain have called for a General strike today, to coincide with the EU summit and in protest of the Popular Party government's reform of unemployment and workers rights laws. The newly introduced laws aim to change radically the fundamental human and labour rights in the Spanish constitution.

Thursday 20th - Stop Press:
The General Strike is currently being followed all over the Spanish State affecting most areas of the manufacturing, transport, private and public sectors. The beginning of the strike was marked with many 'cazerolazos' in the streets of Spain's major cities. Informative picket lines were set up in front of most distribution and transport centres. Early hours of this morning saw riot police attacking several pickets in Madrid and Barcelona with the result of dozens of injured (20 confirmed cases of severe injuries) and around 40 arrests.
For up to date information see:
IMC-Madrid and IMC-Barcelona
ROUNDUP of events on Thursday 20th:
IMC UK Breaking News
[ Campaign agains Europe of Capital | Sevilla Social Forum ]

by FROM UK IMC - INDYMEDIA UK Thu Jun 20, 2002 09:33

Mobilizations for tomorrow General Strike in the Spanish State and against the EU Summit in Sevilla have already started in Andalucia.
This morning in Malaga around 200 people are marching in a festive atmosphere with a samba band, in solidarity with the sacked workers of the anarcho-syndicalist union CGT.

Mobilizations are expected all over Spain today and tomorrow against the Popular Party (PP) new employment, benefits and worker's rights laws.

For up-to-date information check:
IMC barcelona
IMC Madrid

Around two hundred people held a party-demo this morning in the centre of Malaga. The event was part of the mobilisations against the EU summit in Seville.
Around two hundred people held a party-demo this morning in the centre of Malaga. The event was part of the mobilisations against the EU summit in Seville.

The international crowd of demonstrators danced under the intense Andalucian sun to the rhythms of a samba batucada and a mobile soundsystem, while graffiti and stickers redecorated several buildings. The theme of the day was “la precariedad”, that is, lowering job security, standards of living, etc. Those visited included McDonalds, temping and estate agencies, Town Hall, the University of Malaga main building (protesting against the LOU law), and finally the Government office in Malaga, responsible for repression and inmigration issues.

The action was organised as part of the Malaga stage of the March of Social Movements towards Seville, which is connected to the Euromarches process, and finishes in that city on friday. However, both the organisation and participation were broader, including many local people, and even a Swedish contingent travelling to the summit.

Police presence was very low key, even when minor arguments started with the managers of some of the offices visited, and practically was reduced to some plain-clothes and a line protecting the Government office.

Reports from Seville indicate that several thousand plain-clothes police officers have taken over the city, but are trying to avoid high visibility on the days prior to the general strike which has pinned the government against much of the country. The trigger for the strike was the forced introduction of non-consensual new laws regulating unemployment. These would sound quite familiar to British readers, as they are basically following the trend started in USA of criminalising those who receive any state benefits and force the unemployed into any low paid job. Unfortunately, this global aspect of the new law, and its relation to more restrictive inmigration laws, has been missed by all the critics, either by lack of information, or in bad faith as is the case of the socialist party (PSOE). The PSOE, is unashamedly trying to gain political capital by supporting the unions, without questioning the wider picture of the attack on workers rights worldwide. This is not surprising, as in their years in power throughout the eighties, they managed to disempower a vibrant civil society that looked at the postfascist future starry-eyed, and now invests in shares of the companies which ravage Latin America.

Read a call for a Disobedient Laboratory during the General Strike and the EU Summit mobilisations in Sevilla, June 20-22

For up to date information check:
IMC-Barcelona
IMC-Madrid

by me again Thu Jun 20, 2002 09:20

Sorry
no spell check on crazy spanish computers

by blisset Thu Jun 20, 2002 00:32

and learn how to use spellcheck u headbanger. I'm sorry now I didn't get my head together and go.