Protesting the Assault on Basque Culture

Today at Berria:

Thousands protest against the assault on Basque cultural activity

Thousands of people in towns and cities responded to the call made by “Kontseilua” to call for the release of the detainees and demand that the Basque language be left in peace

Editorial Staff

Protests were held yesterday inside the Basque Country to condemn Thursday’s police operation and the attack on Basque cultural activity. For example, about one hundred teachers and students involved in the “Irale” study programme got together for a quarter of an hour in the Larratxo square of Donostia [San Sebastian] with the banner: “Euskalgintzaren aurkako erasorik ez” (No to the attack on Basque Cultural Activity). Between 14.00 and 15.00 hours workers from the Zabaltzen distribution company and the Euskalgintza Elkarlanean publishing house met together in front of the Zabaltzen premises in the Donostia suburb of Igaro. About fifty people lined up behind a banner that read “Atxilotuak askatu Euskal Herria aurrera” (Free the Detainees. Come on Basque Country!). They included Iñaki Sors, the brother of Jose Mari Sors, who is one of the detainees. Martxelo Otamendi [BERRIA’s Chief Editor] and Joxean Lizarribar, on behalf of the “Euskarazko Komunikazio Taldea” [the company that runs BERRIA], also took part.

One of the first protests in front of city and town halls called by “Kontseilua” was held in Baiona (Bayonne). Leading about 150 people Gexan Alfaro of the Elkarlanean publishing house denounced the operation as “state terrorism” and added that “the time has come for all Basque nationalists to unite and dispense with party politics”. Maixan Merkapide, chairman of the “Euskal Konfederazioa” called on the politicians to do something “to stop this.”

In Donostia over 1,000 people got together outside the city hall; Xabier Mendiguren, Kontseilua’s General Secretary, and Joan Mari Torrealdai, the Editor of the journal “Jakin”, were there along with the wives of the detainees Joxe Mari Sors, Mikel Arrizabalaga and Mikel Sorozabal. Representatives of political parties were also there: Luis Mari Bandres of the EAJ (Basque Nationalist Party), Josetxo Ibazeta of Batasuna, Iñaki Irazabalbeitia of Aralar. The ELA and LAB Basque trade unions were also represented, and Joxe Leon Otaño was there on behalf of the AEK (adult Basque teaching organisation).

About 2,000 people staged a protest in Bilbo, and approximately 1,000 in Gasteiz (Vitoria).

.... ... .