25s Madrid: We are not afraid - All must go!

Published: September 26, 2012 03:43 by fyi

PHOTOS:
http://reelnews.co.uk/massive-protests-in-madrid-against-austerity/
http://www.publico.es/espana/442912/el-25-s-en-imagenes/slideshow#0
http://www.20minutos.es/galeria/8908/0/0/25-S/manifestacion/rodea-congreso/
http://fotos.lainformacion.com/asuntos-sociales/en-directo-fotos-desde-las-manifestaciones-del-25s_F_X6YTL3xFswIV5jYs3iEQm2/
http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2012/09/25/album/1348574023_950325.html#1348574023_950325_1348584395
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.447142025328291.95596.258039744238521&type=3
http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/fotos/20120925/25-s-marchas-para-rodear-congreso/101558.shtml

TIMELINE:

9:00 Masive polie opperation throughout Madrid's city center with a very high cost of public money. Report from eldiario.es: http://www.eldiario.es/politica/despliegue-policial-costara-personal-euros_0_51095375.html

9:00 The buses from Barcelona, Zaragoza and Motril (confirmed ones) have been stopped and the police registered the passengers.
Images:http://elventano.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/la-policia-retiene-autobuses-del-25-s.html
http://motrildigital.blogia.com/2012/092501--el-autobus-de-los-indignados-de-motril-desviado-por-los-geos-a-getafe-para-iden.php
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FynZhIVd7l4&feature=youtu.be

10:00 The Conselleria de Eduació de la Generalitat (Catalan government's education ministery) has been occupied by high school students.

11:48 A bus from Barcelona retained at 10km from Zaragoza. The police them is confiscating Anonymous masks, banners and a camera.- 20 Minutes in vivo@20mdirecto "in Zaragoza, the police has detained a bus of the #25S and have identified and caching to those who traveled", comments @PepePazYdesarmehttp://elventano.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/la-policia-retiene-autobuses-del-25-s.html

11:53 1,500 police surrounding the congress.

12:09 The police returned the only confiscated banner and let the bus continue. Images:http://pic.twitter.com/R5skLQK6

12:18 Bus from Valencia arrived well.

12:31 First performance in Plaza España, there's a lot of police in the place. https://twitter.com/fgarrobo/status/250543073157849089/photo/1
https://twitter.com/al_segundo/status/250542321496633344/photo/1

12:33 Large crowd is gathering at the Cuesta de Moyano, Atocha, paseo del prado:http://msilvestre.tumblr.com/post/32254207111/hoyes25s?og=1&amp A lot of police at Neptuno (w/ a unit of dogs) press and some people: http://twitter.yfrog.com/oe7v1boej

12:50 Photo: Policeman with HK G36 assault rifle, 5,56mm in top of Reina Sofia museum
https://twitter.com/alexgutiperez/status/250547935228592128/photo/1/large

13:04 Police is asking for identification to the all the people near the Congress.

13:40 https://twitter.com/afrilun/status/250559324303273985/photo/1

13:50 The police stopped some buses from Valladolid, Malaga and Salamanca
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392156&l=5b83292a19&id=164073917059555

14:00 Police document of the seizure of a Guy Fawkes mask:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525158394177476&set=a.224513557575296.74632.222880381071947&type=1&relevant_count=1

14:30 Popular meal at Paseo del Prado
https://twitter.com/110010010011010/status/250571470688903168/photo/1
https://twitter.com/acampadagranada/status/250571852508966913/photo/1

15:22 People continues gathering, everything is calm https://twitter.com/fgarrobo/status/250554749181652992/photo/1

16:00Empiezan las asambleas informativas previstas en Plaza de españa España:
http://bambuser.com/v/3008435
Prado: http://bambuser.com/v/3008445
Imageshttps://twitter.com/eraulnavarro/status/250607733169074178/photo/1/large
https://twitter.com/apuente/status/250578902290948097

16:36 One arrested in Neptuno square, near Prado.
https://twitter.com/El_Diagonal/status/250610187419926529
He was shouting against the infiltrator policemen. Infiltrators: https://twitter.com/Enidal/status/250586915487760384/photo/1

17:15 People is gathering in front og the Andalucia's parliament.
https://twitter.com/Artatxo/status/250613793208532992/photo/1

17:16 Marches are ready to go, Plaza España just started. They'll meet in Congreso.

17:28 Demonstrators block the Gran Via avenue.
https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250619955484188673/photo/1
http://twitter.yfrog.com/h3yledwjhttps://twitter.com/JordiAros/status/250619970625630208/photo/1
http://twitter.yfrog.com/kge1lgzj

17:37 The bus from Basque Country just arrived. https://twitter.com/DRYmadrid/status/250618214298554371

17:39 The march from Prado is surrounding the police line blocking the Congress
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250619557742518272 And people is still arriving
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250620021745782785/photo/1

17:41 The police arrested a person who jumped over the fence.
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250620970845478912/photo/1

17:46 Neptuno square taken by the people
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250622463782838274/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250621599949139968/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Nitsuga000/status/250624073556709377
https://twitter.com/juanlusanchez/status/250624534879813633/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Cafeinomania/status/250626575354187776/photo/1

18:05 The police cuts Canalejas st. and blocks the march to Plaza España.

18:13Última hora #25Sbcn imagenes de como esta el parlamento:
https://twitter.com/Acampadabcn/status/250627187990986752/photo/1/large
Parlament: https://twitter.com/Eldaoron/status/250632055526916096/photo/1

Many people gatering in Barcelona. Rumours: Many police controls in Barcelona, seems like they're only daily routine.The police asked for identification to people near Ciutadella.
https://twitter.com/Eldaoron/status/250632055526916096/photo/1

18:17 Released a video from Düsseldorf in solidarity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmKm3D6r6A

18:23Más gente se reune en el parlamento andaluz.
Imagenes https://twitter.com/DRYmadrid/status/250633374396473344

Even more people gathering in front of the Andalucia's parliament.
Images https://twitter.com/DRYmadrid/status/250633374396473344

In Madrid the police hides the guns because of the pressure of the people.
https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250631588184989697

18:28 The march from Plaza España reaches Sol sq and it's headed to the Congress by the other side, where there are already demonstrators.http://bambuser.com/v/3008927http://twitter.yfrog.com/kkynjclj

18:34 The march from Plaza España leaves Sol and goes to the Congress.https://twitter.com/Vaneveo/status/250633378645291008/photo/1
http://twitter.yfrog.com/kkynjclj
https://twitter.com/El_Plural/status/250628799400660993/photo/1
Images from Barcelona arrived:https://twitter.com/Acampadabcn/status/250632795163078657/photo/1/large

18:35 Tension in Sevilla, the police showed some rubber bullet guns to charge
https://twitter.com/Artatxo/status/250633106141347840/photo/1
More people arrives to Barcelona:https://twitter.com/SantsTV/status/250633632849489921/photo/1
The police cuts Preciados st. and the march goes by Alcalá st.
https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250635943491555329/photo/1

18:36 The police is blocking the way between Canalejas and the Congress, they blocked 100 to 200 demonstrators inside.The Congreso right now: https://twitter.com/Fgarea/status/250634842457378816/photo/1

18:45 In Barcelona demnstrators yell at the deputeeshttp://bambuser.com/v/3008987

18:47 "Here they're are with armor on, and on the other corner they're not." - translation of streamer

18:52 Some politicians just broke the kettling and went into the demo
https://twitter.com/carlosbardem/status/250638222386925568

18:53 More people in Neptuno sq.http://pic.twitter.com/gOCIckJH

18:56 The politicians that broke the kettling are now inside the kettling
https://twitter.com/antoniombeltran/status/250633585059590145/photo/1

19:00 Barricades are broken down by crowd, one officer beating protesters with their hands up in the air.Charges in Neptuno sq.The police went out of the line and a group went isolated.

19:04 First arrested people by police in Madrid
http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20120925/congreso-amanece-blindado-policia-protesta-del-25s/564903

19:05 Extreme brutality by the police. People being dragged on the floor, batons, many arrested.https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250642916660346880/photo/1/large

19:07 In Canalejas st. the police took out their identifications, looks like a charge.

19:09 The people sits with the hands up, the police goes back.
https://twitter.com/search/%23SinMiedo25s/slideshow/photos?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitpic.com%2Fay9z66

19:12 The police is breaking the demonstration with vans and brutality.
https://twitter.com/tiro_t2000/status/250642969944809473/photo/1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQVAw3Is30
https://twitter.com/Igualitarista/status/250644127241363458/photo/1
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/246792_383595425046095_1165582562_n.jpg

19:14un hombre mayor con la cabeza abierta herido por la policia ayuda a calmar los ánimos
https://twitter.com/Igualitarista/status/250644127241363458/photo/1/large
Cada vez llega mas gente https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250664377546584064/photo/1

19:19 The ambulance is taking people in stretchers.
https://twitter.com/cgttelemadrid/status/250646596956602368

19:21 The police split the demonstration in 2 in front of fences. Crowd is one mass behind them.
http://instagram.com/p/QAaviOJgV4/

19:25 Neptuno sq. after the nonsense charges for create tension
https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250647728252678144/photo/1

19:38 Discongreso frisbe action underway see:https://yovoy25s.wordpress.com/discongreso/

19:55 Human chain to avoid the reinforcement vans pass through.
https://twitter.com/isaachacksimov/status/250653798417174528/photo/1
https://twitter.com/isaachacksimov/status/250653237659705344/photo/1

20:02 Human chain reaches Sol sq.
https://twitter.com/isaachacksimov/status/250656298847330305/photo/1/large

20:03 Some little charges. The people sits down and resist.

20:04Seguimiento del #25s en una pantalla situada en el Pilar de Zaragoza, apoyando a lxs compañerxs en lucha en Madrid http://pic.twitter.com/HAmiGpj0
https://twitter.com/acampadazgz/status/250655245867290624/photo/1/large

20:12 Released the entire video of the charges:
http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20120925/congreso-amanece-blindado-policia-protesta-del-25s/564903.shtml

20:12 (Fuente: http://www.publico.es/espana/442909/el-25s-en-directo-nueva-carga-policial-en-neptuno-con-varios-detenidos - Some sources confirmed to Publico that right now there are 9 people arrested. EFE said there are nine injured.

20:13 The human chain reaches the ministery of education.http://twitpic.com/ayadw4

20:17 Some journalists were forced to be inside the perimeter "for safety" http://pic.twitter.com/llr4J2fx

20:18 The human chain extends itself to all the streets in downtownhttp://pic.twitter.com/Dw7XHfQa

20:19 Charges in Hotel Palace, journalists on the floor. Solfónica group is starts the show in Cerarcos st.
https://twitter.com/Arganda15m/status/250660721887703040/photo/1

20:26 Streaming #Barcelona: http://bambuser.com/v/3008987#25sBcn | Streaming #Sevilla: http://bambuser.com/v/3009206#Sevilla25s | #SinMiedo25s Una persona más arrestada.

20:26 One more person arrested.

20:27 The government, says Europa Press, talks about 15 people arrested in total.

20:30 The police is chaging again in Sol. Seems not hard. Police broke a camera.

20:30 Mucha gente en Plaza del Sol (http://t.co/xZd0uRoh)
(Fuente: https://twitter.com/radiocable/status/250666199355125761)

20:39 The human chain still grows https://twitter.com/eldiarioes/status/250665728984883200/photo/1
https://twitter.com/m_domenech/status/250664566147653633/photo/1
20.42 FOTO aérea: Miles de personas siguen concentradas en Neptuno, absolutamente lleno.
http://pic.twitter.com/To4LARVC

20:43 Published the image of the fences pulled http://skp00.epimg.net/Imagenes/5E/71/1348598234-e5d663375112818e92adc2bef28f240e.jpg

20:50 The human chain is complete surounding the Congress.

20:51 One person injured and arested by the police.

20:53 (Tiene tiempo por la luz) Policía agarrando a una chica

20:54 Charges, the police goes on in Neptuno. A group of people prepare shields in front of the police, some people ask for calm. More brutal charges and arrested people. Rubber bullets, people goes back. Some people injured a policeman caught charging into crowd too far
https://twitter.com/jmtorresayala/status/250674799226003457/photo/1

21:03 The people goes, many agressions and arrested by the police. More rubber bullets. People in Alcalá sq. shouting "We go to Sol".The police makes the people go back.They take an elder man and they maintain him with the neck under the knee http://www.ustream.tv/channel/glassbeadian

21:06 The people in Neptuno is going, the police charges hard. People is moving to go Sol. There's still people in Neptuno http://twitpic.com/ayarka And there are more arrested people http://twitpic.com/ayaqyh

21:07 National TV showed live taking the fences.

21:10 Not much people in Canalejas, but police still blocks the pass
https://twitter.com/20mdirecto/status/250673731251359745/photo/1

21:13 Charges in Sol sq. Some vans went there and split the demo. Atocha sq. is getting full of police too.

21:16 Street cut by the people in Alcalá http://pic.twitter.com/8DpMLfi7

21:17 Many rubber bullets in Neptuno. The police is pushing back with violence. They try to evict the square. Some demonstrators throwed flashlights. The ambulance attends at least one person.

21:24 The vans went out of Alcalá. Free way to Sol.
https://twitter.com/acampadasol/status/250675455768788993/photo/1
Still many people in Neptuno and the situation goes worse. The police starts to charge hard.
https://twitter.com/acampadasol/status/250675455768788993/photo/1
The police continues the brutality and disperse the demonstrators with vans. At least one elder woman attended by the ambulances for the charges.

21:31 Nine police vans go through Neptuno Square. Meanwhile, over 200 demonstrators sit down in the square and hundreds are surrounded by the police on other places.

21:39 (Fuente: http://www.publico.es/espana/442909/el-25s-en-directo-violentos-choques-entre-policia-y-manifestantes-en-neptuno): "The police said what they're using are just salvos of gunpowder and not rubber bullets".

21:44 The police soft charge in Canovas del Castillo and arrested at least one person.

21:52 There already 38 arrested. Discomposure among the organizers of #25s. Some want to do an assembly in Neptuno and other in Sol". In Neptuno Square there are at least 600 demonstrators.

22:01 (Fuente: http://www.efe.com/efe/noticias/espana/portada/detenidos-heridos-grave-incidentes/1/1/1876040) Confirmed a several injured person. Press confirms there are police infiltrators in the demo. Infiltrators are arresting people randomly.

22:07 One more arrested in Neptuno.

22:09 Rubber bullets in Atocha sq. BBC confirms the use of rubber bullets: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19712203 (VIDEO)

22:12 Emergency confirms that the seriously injured in the demonstration on 25-S has a spinal cord injury" (Source: http://noticias.terra.es/en-vivo/ahora/25s-cerco-al-congreso/ )
Police have surrounded Neptune and does not allow access to the center of the Plaza, reports Rebecca Queimaliños. The protesters are concentrated in the surrounding streets.
(Source:http://noticias.terra.es/en-vivo/ahora/25s-cerco-al-congreso/ )

22:20 Live feed from RTVE National TV goes down. Livestreams and El Pais still covering

22:30 Foto de un hombre mayor siendo arrastrado por el suelo https://pic.twitter.com%2FavELXza3

22:32 he deputees in the Congress are still inside and doing nothing.

22:42 More people comes to Neptuno.

22:55 There's police in Atocha train station. They're on the train tracks, they charged and evicted the station.

23:08 The police is entering the bars to take out demonstrators.

23:11 The deputees are going out by the backdoor:
https://twitter.com/gonzalocortizo/status/250698601800544256/photo/1/large

23:30 40 people in Sol sq. are starting an assembly.

23:36 Police is asking for identification in Marqués de Cuba st.

23:49 InBarcelona, after the gathering in front of the parliament, an assembly decided that tomorrow at 12:00 they'll gather again in Plaça Sant Jaume. In the afternoon they'll gather in the parliament and take a look to what's going on in Madrid.

In Madrid, the assembly made in Sol decided to come to Neptuno tomorrow 7pm.

Promo Videos:

PPSOE y Rodea el Congreso 25 Septiembre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaHzE3pkwlw
Ocupa el Congreso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcxDHx8aNaQ
25-S Ocupa el congreso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBIBNQ37gCA
Ocupa el Congreso 25 Septiembre #OcupaElCongreso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYtqisbpOP8
128punto1 - #25S, Ocupa el Congreso -YA NO SOY TONTO - Es Aquí, Es Ahora.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UHEBJ0FEiA
El 25 de Septiembre, ocupa el Congreso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cdlRmxvFZY
25 Septiembre rodea el congreso pacíficamente...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y2pEUnxgNs

Published: September 26, 2012 13:24 by shocking

Cops attacking and later charges and dispersal

- includes resturant owner / worker protecting people inside his place (he was later beaten and, we think, maybe arrested)
- also includes cops charging into atocha the train station firing rubber bullets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyBW0-Q8iuw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCRgqspmyU

see also video by same guy of cops controlling and threatening journalists inside station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUVr-Lcnq-8

video from the platforms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XatZ2g_ox0M

Published: September 26, 2012 15:33 by oscar

In #globalrevolution, Sol on 26 September 2012 at 00:03
Madrid, September 26, 0030 hrs.

Dear people,

They said there were about 1400 hundred riot police operational today. First thing I did when I arrived was check. I walked around all the access roads to parliament. I counted about 60 or 70 police vans. With all the backup, I think the figure was correct.

And yet, it wasn’t enough. Today, police got their asses kicked.

But let’s go one step at a time. All through the day, people kept arriving from outside the capital. Clearly, this is not a Madrid protest, it’s a national one. The amount of people I knew was stunning. From Acampada Sol, from the marches to Brussels and Athens. Almost all of them are here.

Until six o’ clock it wasn’t clear if it was going to be a success as far as the total attendance went. When I got to the gravity centre of the protest at Neptuno I knew it was. I don’t know about numbers, but the square was packed, and part of the boulevards leading up to it as well. Thirty thousand maybe. More likely fifty. Six thousand according to authorities.

The crowd wasn’t like the ones I remember. This is not only 15M, it’s much wider. Anarchists, communists, and lots of republicans. Compared to last year, the amount of republican flags has grown considerably.

Another thing, there were lots of journalists. ‘Official’ ones, and citizens. Almost all of the citizen journalists had created their own accreditation cards. Police didn’t know how to distinguish them, so they let them all pass. The citizen journalists were also prepared for the worst, they arrived with helmets.

The possibility of the protest turning violent had been a worry for many in the months leading up to 25S. They feared infiltrators, or people who simply wanted to riot.

At seven, a first provocation. A handful of demonstrators start throwing plastic bottles and cans of beer. Police react with a charge. They wanted to alleviate the pressure on the barricades by creating space on the square and dividing the crowd.

Unlike other times, people were determined to stay. The crowd is dense. We resist, hour after hour. Some of us throw frisbees and paper planes, or they blow bubbles. We’re not thinking of leaving. Around nine thirty, more provocations. Fire crackers this time. The reaction of the majority didn’t leave room for doubt. ‘Don’t throw anything!’ ‘Infiltrators!’ ‘Go away!’

The fire crackers were one too much. Police react. In the blink of an eye, they start to charge in small platoons. A fringe of fifty to a hundred protesters take up the challenge. They raise their scarfs over their noses, and they counterattack, without fear.

To be completely honest, I didn’t really mind that it went down. I was becoming a bit uncomfortable standing in the middle of a crowd of which I ignored the full extent. After the charge, there was space. Suddenly I could move freely and shoot footage in between police and rioters backed up by the crowd. It was absolutely exhilarating. Sedition is a wonderful drug, people. One of the best.

All around Neptuno police began firing rubber bullets. It felt like New Year’s Eve. The rioters dug up the stones of Paseo del Prado and began hurling them, together with trashcans, glass bottles etc.

I didn’t understand police strategy, at all. Had they used tear gas, the square would have been empty in a matter of minutes. I think they didn’t because of the police horses near parliament. Maybe they were convinced the crowd would run once they started to shoot. It didn’t happen. Instead, they were surrounded. They hid behind their shields, like a Greek phalanx. I have seen a dozen of them pushed against a wall, desperately seeking cover against a storm of stones raining down on them. When they charged, they charged out of fear, and they didn’t spare anyone. I have seen middle aged women caught in between the stones, the bottles and the rubber bullets. I have seen them resist. I have seen them return.

Police panicked once they were surrounded. They were beaten back on all sides. We won.

Finally, they only managed to break the siege by shooting their way out in direction Atocha. It was a crazy experience, no matter how many action packed movies you have watched in your life, to have a gun pointed in your direction and see it belching fire. At the end of the night, we collected the rubber bullets as souvenirs.

I won’t go into the violence question. The people who resorted to it were a minority. Maybe there were infiltrators, or maybe people are just really, really angry. The thing that counts, in my view, is the spirit of resistance that I felt today. We refused to let ourselves be intimidated.

Many stayed in Neptuno or returned there. They sat down, and they sung “No! No! We’re not violent!”

Casualties of the night are more or less these. About twenty arrests. Fifty wounded. One serious.

At this moment the hard core protesters keep resisting in Neptuno. Tomorrow there will be another demonstration. In solidarity with the general strike in Galicia, Asturias and the Basque country. We will be at Congress at seven. The siege continues. Good night, and good luck

http://spanishrevolution11.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/battlefield-madrid/

Published: September 26, 2012 15:38 by solidarity

The 35 arrested during the demonstration yesterday about the House of Representatives will make available to the High Court on Thursday morning, after testifying during the day before the Brigade of the National Police Information , reported Police sources told Europa Press.

Police accuse those arrested for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Audiencia Nacional (AN) as offenses under the Penal Code against high organs of the Nation and the form of government , having jurisdiction of the High Court.

Specifically, it is a crime under the Title XXI of the Criminal Code , which refers to crimes against the Constitution and the institutions, another offense under section 493 on the seats of the legislative bodies.

They will also be charged to promote demonstrations against the legislature, contained in Article 494 of the Penal Code, and for attempting to enter the premises of the legislature to submit petitions, as provided in section 495 of the Penal Code.

Police accuse the 30 detainees of these felonies, plus related offenses against public order, damage or disrespect for authority among other issues.

Published: September 26, 2012 15:44 by via timcast

Police attack peaceful protesters in Madrid S25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDarnVVnL8Q

Published: September 26, 2012 16:45 by via google translate

Original in Spanish: http://coordinadora25s.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/notas-tras-los-hechos-del-25s/

1) Despite the serious incidents of yesterday, we want to convey a positive idea: the 25s has been a massive influx success . Two generations have broken the consensus iron transition and generated a social protest unparalleled in recent Spanish history. Whatever happens from now on, the 25s is now a full stop.

2) It was not possible to prevent over a scenario that had been tense and criminalized to exaggeration and caricature by the Government office [1]. As shown, people of all ages and conditions, who have taken to the streets did not want to give any coup, but visualize the kidnapping of democracy that, despite our protests, continues to take place under the guise of the economic crisis . In this sense, it is a fact that the call was an example of political courage of the citizens towards the intolerable blackmail fear.

3) In a power that is deaf and blind, we reaffirm our position of nonviolent civil disobedience, and condemn the strategies police provocation and infiltration [2] as published in some media, were used in the concentration of yesterday to dissolve participants concentration. We are the first to be regretted that the focus on the violent scenes that occurred yesterday unfortunately leave aside the fundamental question that we took to the streets and that is none other than the actual occupation of our political decision-making . Until the time of the charges [3] the call went to civic and responsible manner and has been shown that the action was not intended to interfere with the normal course of the House. The support that the call has been by some MPs and parliamentary groups also evidence that the initiative did not seek, as announced, "occupy" literally Congress, but draw attention to the fatal gap between east and citizenship. That several Plural Left government positions that were just on the sidewalk also suffer disproportionate actions of the police shows the irrationality of a government that only manages to hide his weakness and lack of legitimacy of an authoritarian .

4) This is not a simple manifestation of complaints, but a political demonstration. It would be a serious mistake, after these events, the government does not listen to this voice and continue ignoring the despair and suffering it is causing their management in the Spanish population.

We in the streets without fear.

(Group Coordinator Communication 25s)

[1] Video showing how police's activity and provocations escalated the situation and resulted in the ensuing clashes:
http://www.tomalatele.tv/web/?p=6016

[2] Video evidence of police infiltration during last night clashes: one of the two people being arrested keeps telling the riot police "I am one of you, I am one of your colleagues" until he is identified by another undercover cop and let go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FLW4OjlcrU

[3] Video chronicle of the police attacks during the night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCRgqspmyU

Published: September 28, 2012 14:01 by European Revolution

The protest in Madrid was different from all its predecessors since May 15th 2011. Even though it was organized by collectives close to the 15M Indignadxs movement and it’s national network of popular assemblies, most of its signs of identity were not present: the atmosphere was not festive and suitable for all ages, there was no singing or concerts, no flags or t-shirts defending universal health care or public education, and even though an assembly was held before the protest began, there were no proposals or details of the action, only speakers lighting up the mood of the crowd with harsh words. Because of the swelling rage and the noise, as well as the violent police charges in response to rocks and bottles from the crowd, it felt more like Greece than Spain. The majority of signs people carried simply read NO in black capital letters.

The #25S protest marks a clear escalation in both the attitude and methods of the 15M movement and it’s sympathizers. In 2011, from the very beginning people argued that Sol square was not the right place to protest as it was not really making anyone in power too uncomfortable, there was not enough pressure. Why not gather in front of Congress, just a few meters down the road? A year and a half later, after most protests tended to avoid direct confrontation with the 24/7 police force in front of the Parliament building, the first action directly targeting the building was planned. Because of this there yesterday’s action was not approved unanimously and many people went as individuals and not as whole assemblies or groups. In order to coordinate the event a hybrid organization was created: the Coordinadora25S.

The language used by the Coordinadora was as strong as their message. Their claims, however, are reasonable for most Spaniards: in their manifesto they state that the Government has lost all legitimacy, after breaking pretty much every electoral promise they made, they have sold out the interests of the majority of the population, prioritizing banks and markets before human rights such as health care, education and housing. Spanish democracy is now being kept hostage by foreign institutions, popular sovereignty has been kidnapped, they stated, and their demands were clear: on the 25th of September Congress will be surrounded to force the dismissal of the government and the beginning of a transparent and popular process to rewrite the rules of Spanish democracy. The Government has broken the social pact on which the 1978 Constitution is based and a new, truly legitimate one, is desperately needed.

The reaction on behalf of the authorities was clear and forceful, as this was no longer a parade which merely had to be escorted: one of the main centers of power, full at the time with the country’s leading politicians, was being directly threatened. Therefore, the organization of the event was repressed harshly from the beginning. Policemen disrupted assemblies weeks before the date and identified the participants, buses bringing people in from different parts of Spain were diverted and searched, with more people being identified. A couple of days before #25S, eight of the organizers were charged for crimes against high organs of the Nation and yesterday the amount of police in Madrid hit a new record: around 1.300 police, including special horseback and riot units were brought in from all around the country. In this same tough line, the 35 people arrested will not simply be accused of resisting arrest or disrupting public order, but for attacks on the Nation.

Police violence, following provocations I witnessed first hand, was as excessive as always, and included the use of rubber bullets. After several charges and scuffles 64 people were injured, including 27 policemen and one protester who was severely beaten in the head and was left temporarily paralyzed in the hospital. For the first time protesters could be seen arguing over whether to resist passively (sit down with your hands up in front of the police, seeking to demonstrate state oppression) or to fight back on their feet, pushing against police lines, throwing rocks, bottles or pieces of metal from the fences used by the police. Clearly, the trademark non-violent stance of new Spanish social movements has weakened, even though many protesters tried hard to prevent violence by standing in the middle of the confrontations. As the situation in Spain deteriorates rapidly in the face of austerity, poverty and repression, many are desperate for solutions and are willing to do anything to fight back. The confrontation with authority reached a new level yesterday and the Coordinadora has stated that this is only the beginning. More protests are planned for Saturday.

http://takethesquare.net/2012/09/26/confrontations-reach-a-new-level-in-spain-as-protesters-target-congress-25s/

Published: September 28, 2012 15:17 by Syndicate Films

See a 20 minute long film looking into how the 'crisis' and 'austerity policies' being imposed throughout Spain have a direct effect onto people's lives.

Shot during the general strike of 29 March, we asked people in the Catalan city of Barcelona how the crisis affects them and how they are dealing with it on a personal and a political level. In this video, students, workers, and unemployed who are also artists, activists and demonstrators are talking about fear, insecurity and anxiety in everyday life. However, they also explain how they are developing new models of organizing and protesting. The video includes examples for militant protest, artistic and creative tools for resistance, anti-authoritarian / libertarian networking and micropolitical organizing.

Watch the video here:
http://london.indymedia.org/videos/12855

Original film in Vimeo:
http://vimeo.com/syndicfilms/making-ends-meet/

Published: September 28, 2012 16:52 by maqui repost

Read a text by 'Madrilonia' analyzing the the significance of the 25s and ongoing 'Surround the Congres' protests:

25S: Democracy makes its way
http://diagonalperiodico.net/25S-Democracy-makes-its-way.html

Watch a video report of 25s from Democracy Now!, including an analysis interview with an independent journalist from Madrid:
http://diagonalperiodico.net/Democracy-Now-Video.html

Published: September 28, 2012 17:38 by fyi

Spanish Police Crack Down on Protesters Surrounding the Parliament
By The Real News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czx53ZaoiyA

Anti-austerity rage intensified in Madrid, as protesters surrounded the parliament Tuesday night in a sign of mounting frustration towards the right-wing government. Their demands included the resignation of top officials with new elections, the halt to austerity measures, and the rewriting of the Spanish Constitution. The protesters charged the government with theft and criminal activity for implementing harsh austerity measures, hiking taxes, record unemployment and allowing mass evictions of unemployed families on a daily basis.

As thousands converged outside the gates of parliament, hundreds of police clashed with protesters, detaining and beating many. Organizers of the action were harassed and intimidated by the police weeks before September 25th. Activists were detained, assembly meetings broken up and a cultural center was raided and shut down.

The Spanish government, with help of the mainstream media, hyped the event as a possible coup d'etate. Nearly 2,000 police officers were deployed to prevent the protesters from reaching the parliament. Despite the main unions withdrawing their support, it's estimated close to 10,000 people attended. The call to surround the congress brought out Spaniards from all walks of life despite police repression to prevent activists from mobilizing.

On numerous occasions, the police pushed and shoved us as we tried to film. Other journalists were beaten and injured by rubber bullets.

Story produced by Jihan Hafiz and Jairo Vargas Martin.

Published: September 29, 2012 13:41 by SR

Its amazing how many people came back after the night of violence. Here are some words.

Midnight: They are charging now. Police have fired live rounds of ammunition in the air at Cibeles. At Neptuno, thousands of people are still gathered, but authorities want them out of there a.s.a.p. The order by the delegate of the government must have been to ‘clear the place at midnight’.

I was there until an hour ago. Now I am following the events through livestream in our media hub. So far it has been a wonderfully peaceful evening.

The call was to assemble at 1900. After yesterday’s charges, the 99% of the crowd came to show their aversion to violence.

Nobody let him- or herself be fooled as to who started it, except for the newspapers and the tv. YouTube has been awash with footage that showed what happened. In these demonstrations, cameras are covering everything, always. One of them caught a police officer dragging a hooligan to his arrest. The man can be heard shouting: “I am your colleague, damned!”

Today, the phrase appeared on one of the banners as people returned to congress for the second night in a row.

When I got there, around seven, the space in front of the barricades was filled, but there wasn’t enough of a crowd to block the roundabout. Yesterday’s official estimate of 6000 wouldn’t have been too far from the truth.

That was the beginning. The crowd kept growing. It didn’t come even close to the numbers of the first night, but we were over ten thousand, even before the anarchists came to join us.

All evening, the situation was relaxed. Police kept their distance. Yesterday they wore full riot gear including bulletproof vests even before the protest started. Tonight they only wore their caps, and they left their guns out of sight.

“You are more handsome! / Without your helmets!” is what people sang to them last year, during the acampada in Sol. This time, they didn’t. Too much had happened. Still a significant part of the crowd invited police to join us. “¡Policía! ¡Únete!”

Rumour has it that twenty percent of riot police called in sick yesterday. Authorities supposedly had to bring in officers from outside Madrid.

Around eight o’ clock, the demonstration in support of the general strike in Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country arrived at Neptuno over Atocha. It was organised by the anarcho-syndicalist trade union CNT.

At the outbreak of the civil war, the anarchists were a driving force on the republican side. They had well over a million members, they formed their own militias, they had collectively organised Barcelona and the greater part of Catalonia. Unfortunately, they were also hated more by their communist ‘allies’ than by their fascist enemies. George Orwell can tell you all about it.

Under the Franco regime, the union went underground. Today they only count a fraction of the members they once had, but unlike most peoples in Europe, the Spanish have anarchism in their blood. So for me, it was an impressive sight, thousands of people with red-and-black flags advancing over the Paseo del Prado, mixing their own songs with those of 15M.

Tonight’s atmosphere was joyful. And unambiguous on our side. Around ten o’ clock a small group with scarfs over their faces was present near the barricade. The people around asked them to expose themselves. They refused, and the crowd went: “Out of here! Out of here!” And they left.

At fifty meters from the square there is a coffeeshop. After the second charge yesterday, dozens of people sought refuge inside. Police went after them. At that moment, the owner stepped out, he faced the robocops and planted his hands on his hips. ‘You will not touch these people’. Someone shot the scene. The photo went viral.

Today there was a crowd gathered outside to thank the man. He was yesterday’s hero. For most of the evening he received applause and posed for photos with his fans. The revenues of the coffeeshop must have skyrocketed over the day.

Such was the situation when I left to look for connection. No saucy pictures of rioters for the newspapers to smash on the front page, but no less significant than the night before.

Then at the twelfth stroke of midnight, the spell was broken.

http://spanishrevolution11.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/second-night/

--

Last night, police cleared the Neptuno roundabout by force. It wasn’t as spectacular as the night before, but this time there was no provocation of any kind. People were just beaten off the tarmac, and they dispersed. At Cibeles there were reports of rocks being thrown at police, of shots being fired, of a container being burned.

The Spanish media are keen on portraying this as a marginal protest by a handful of unemployed indignados and angry violent lefties. They don’t dare to acknowledge how widely the malcontent has spread through all layers of the population. The Spanish government has too many problems to attend to as it is, between Catalan separatists whom they understandably accuse of opportunism, and the impending bankruptcy of the state, which could result in a hostile takeover.

The media also don’t mention a word about the resonance of the protest in Spain and abroad. Yesterday there were gatherings in different parts of the country, and demonstrations at the Spanish embassies in Amsterdam and Budapest, that I know of.

Spain’s most important newspapers are El País and El Mundo. The former is slightly left leaning, the latter right leaning. Surprisingly, today El Mundo brought the story about police infiltration, under the title ‘I’m your colleague, damned!’

They keep lying about the numbers, but given the fact that the protests have made it to media outlets all over the world, they can’t ignore the story.

Equally interesting is the fact that the Spanish 24 hour public news channel got a call from the prime minister’s office when they brought live pictures from #25S. They were ordered to stop their coverage. Instead, while the Paseo del Prado was turning into a war zone, they emitted a thirty minute cultural interest program.

For tonight there is no call to assemble at parliament, but many people are likely to go anyway. The next big demonstration is planned for Saturday, #29S. Already, Rome is among the cities who adhered to the call. People there are planning to form a human chain around the Italian parliament. And as you might know, also the Greeks seem to be awakening from their slumber.

The second wave is rising, people.

http://spanishrevolution11.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/the-eye-of-the-beholder/

Published: October 03, 2012 16:49 by maqui & repost

Around 30,000 people marched once again towards the Spanish Congress (Parliament) for the third time in a week [see previous reports here: http://london.indymedia.org/articles/12992]

Protesters marched from two different squares of central Madrid towards the Congress that, once again, was heavily protected by a huge police operation. They then gathered in front of the riot police lines for around 3 hours, until they decided to leave in mass, thus trying to prevent the sort of police repression seen on the two previous demonstrations that week. This had previoussly been agreed in the action coordinating assemblies.

At that point, around 300 people decided to stay behind and engage in a sit-down protest in front of the police lines. This was eventually broken by the riot police, though without as much violence as seen during the two previous protests. Having said that, it has now emerged evidence of police units hunting protesters in bars and hang-out spaces in downtown Madrid well after the protests had ended. See videos here:

from outside the bar Quevedo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwdqcOHvNKw&feature=share

and from the inside:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_477797&feature=iv&src_vid=fwdqcOHvNKw&v=uhK-zgVjh5Q

It is also worth mentioning that previous to the protests starting, all the TV and other mainstream media crews that had set up reporting units around Neptuno Squate (in front of the Congress) were ordered by police to dismantle their units and move away from the area, in a blatant attempt to control the media's ability to report the unfolding events.

There's now a further mass call to 'Surround the Congress' on the 23rd of October which is when Congress debates and votes on this year's General Budget.

Below there's the text read by the 25S Coordination Network at Neptuno Square on September 29th during the protest

"Last 25S we called to surround the Congress of the members of parliament to rescue it from the kidnapping of the popular sovereignty carried out by the Troika and the financial markets. An occupation executed with the consent and colaboration of most of the political parties. Besides the constant threats, the manipulation of the media and the intense campaign to inflict fear in the people, thousands of people attended the call and said loud and clear that we have no fear, that we are together in this and that we are not going to stop until they resign and a Constituent process is started.

The answer of the Spanish government was based on hitting the demonstrators, using police infiltrators, arresting and hurting them with an outrageous violence as part of an amazing police deployment rarely seen in the past. The Government lost, however. The whole world has seen the TV images of its repression and harassment against the demonstrators, while the Spanish presidente, Mr. Rajoy´s speech at United Nations was extremely overshadowed due to our effective communication abilities. Right now there is an open debate about the legitimacy of the actions made during September-25, which roots deep inside the regular daily life- common people talk, debate, defend their ground. A great national conversation, involving the whole Spanish society, has begun, and this is the path we are willing to keep walking together.

We keep on learning. Today, September 29th, the streets have again been filled with thousands of people who say “enough” and want to pull the brakes on a reality that is turning more and more unbearable. And moreover, today, we went out to accompany and feel comforted by our portuguese, greeks and italians brothers and sisters who are surrounding their own parliaments. The “PIGS” are them, we are Southern Europe, and without the south there’s no Europe, there is no possible Europe

We continue to surround the Congress because we want to jump on in the social movilization and put that core in the recovery of the sovereignty and the citizen power, i.e., of the Democracy. In this year and a half we’ve learned to integrate, to think and to act collectively, striking up unforeseeable alligiances: tides of all colors taking the city; neighbours stopping evictions, civil servants closing off the streets… Now we know how to decipher complex economical and legal concepts, take care of ourselves and the others, comunicate better, administrate spaces and discussions on the net, on the squares and in our jobs; to laugh at the violent stupidity of the power, in front of which we resist instead of running. We have achieved to make the old struggling methods bigger, and we have carried out initiatives that we want to develop from the bases, without shortcuts, step by step. Because we believe that time for the decisions taken by a few is over, because in front of those who want to take our future away, we have the means and the collective intelligence to decide and build the society we want; because we don’t need false intermediates, but only collective resources and tools that actively fund the political participation of all the people in the common affairs.

We continue to surround the Congress to say “no” to those who decide to tell us what to do, that we are going to disobey their unfair impositions, such as paying their debt, and that we are going to defend the colletive rights: housing, education, health, employment, democratic participation, the rent. To start a process that allows that those responsible of the crisis don’t go unpunished, the pyromaniacs that created our crisis not to be rewarded and take them to court instead.

Neither the government of Zapatero, nor Rajoy’s have listened to us. Both have betrayed their own voters carrying out mesures that they promised they would never carry out. They don’t obey the citizens, they don’t have neither the courage nor the interest to do it. The government of Rajoy, therefore, doesn’t serve us and we demand their resignation.

Today the national budgets for next year had been presented. Those budgets are the result of a constitution reform performed within PSOE and PP without the citizen’s opinion on it. The budgets dedicate more money to pay an odious debt than to the social needs that could help to a collective wayout of the crisis. Those budgets are a shame to the national sovereignty, to the democracy. That is why we have to stop them.

We want to make a call to a new movilization for when the national budget is discussed in the Parliament. We want to be there again these days to say no, that ruling without asking the people first is over.

We demand the criminalization to stop, the freedom of the people still under detention and that all the charges attributed to the other comrades that were as well humillated and treated badly in police proceedures absolutely unbearable in a state based on the rule of law. An investigation about the police action during the 25S must be opened.

Those days we saw that we can, if we organize ourselves, if we communicate, if we use our nets and gain confidence, calm and collective intelligence. That is why we make a proposal to you, to participate in the Coordinadora 25S, not only here in Madrid, but everywhere else, organize your own nodes in this network, do your own calls… They are taking away from us the very little that we still have left to defend. We have absolutely everything to build.

We have no fear
We are going to surround the shameful budgets
They have to go
Yes we can."

Taken from:
http://coordinadora25s.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/texto-leido-en-la-plaza-de-neptuno-a-las-20h/

Published: October 04, 2012 08:31 by repost

See this excellent video chronicle of the recent 25S and 29S 'Surround the Congress' mobilistions in Madrid by Brandon Jourdan, an independent journalist behind the globaluprisings.org series of mini-documenaries about reactions to the economic crisis around the world.

Madrid on the Brink: S25 -> S29
http://vimeo.com/50542582

"This short film chronicles the events of September 25-29th in Madrid, Spain where tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand the resignation of the government and an end to police brutality. Many of the protests ended in clashes with the police. Since the stand off began on September 25th , the images of police
brutality have travelled the world over, shocking and inspiring people across Europe and leading to an international day of action on September 29th. This film tells the story of why so many people took to the streets and follows these events as they unfolded. Go to globaluprisings.org for the full series of mini-documenaries about reactions to the economic crisis around the world."