As tens of thousands of protestors marched and surrounded Spain’s Parliament on the 25th of September 2012, riot police were unleashed and given orders to violently attack and arrest participators. The protest went peacefully until eight police vans arrived and provokingly passed directly through the middle of the demonstration. When a small group tried to pass through the security circle, police responded violently, firing rubber bullets and charging the demonstrators with batons. After this attack, sixty-four protesters were injured, and 16 of those had to be taken to the hospital. Thirty-eight people were arrested.
This brutal police attack had been planned for weeks in advance. Government officials tried to intimidate potential protestors by promising police reprisals for those who joined in the demonstration. After the attack on the demonstrators, the extreme violence used was congratulated by the General Secretary of the United Police Trade Union, who stated on Twitter, “We don’t have identification badges [which they are legally required to wear], hit them and that’s it.”
The violent attack on peaceful protestors in Madrid was not covered by corporate media source as of October 1st, 2012, almost an entire week after the event occurred. This complete lack of acknowledgement in the corporate news exemplifies the extent to which attacks on human rights and freedom of speech are censored around the world.
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Title: “Spain’s anti-cuts Protests Violently Broken up by Police”
Author:Â Alejandro Lopez
Publication: World Socialist Website, September 27, 2012.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/sep2012/spai-s27.shtml
Researcher: Tanya Trimble, Sonoma State University
Professional Evaluator: Professor Concha Mateo, Spain