Thousands March in Donostia

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Thousands march in Spain's Basque region for independence

Aug 9, 2008

MADRID (AFP) — Thousands of people marched through the streets of the seaside city of San Sebastian in Spain's northeastern Basque Country on Saturday to demand self-determination for the wealthy region.

"Stop the state of emergency. Self-determination for Euskal Herria," read a banner carried by participants at the head of the peaceful march, using the Basque language name for the Basque Country.

Dozens of people waved the red, white and green Basque flag while others chanted slogans in favour of independence for the region as a police helicopter flew overhead, Spanish media reported.

Police offered no estimate for the number of participants but the Basque newspaper Gara said in its online edition that some 5,000 people had taken part in the demonstration which was organised by left-wing Basque nationalists.

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City of Baiona Fines Demo

Today at Berria English:

Baiona court imposes 33,000 euro fine on Demo members

The Demo members have explained that they do not accept the judgement and that they will be filing an appeal with the court of Pau. They are denouncing the fact that through this judgement the Court has expressed its approval of the economic war begun by the French railways

Aitor Renteria – BAIONA (Bayonne)

Yesterday the Baiona Court announced its judgement in the case against the Demo (1) members heard on January 8. Those convicted will have to pay nearly 33,000 euros. The Magistrate has imposed two kinds of fine on the pro-Basque language activists: 400 euros for those in work and 300 euros for the students and unemployed. On top of that those convicted will have to pay the SNCF, the company that runs the French Railways, 9,300 euros in compensation for five trains which had difficulties. The Magistrate has explained that they will have to pay the compensation through joint liability, in other words, if one of the convicted is unable to pay, the rest will be responsible for payment. They will also have to pay court costs: 1,200 euros.

The Magistrate has imposed an additional penalty on the people who have already been tried for acting against the SNCF. So Gorka Torre, Pascal Mulet and Jokin Zaldunbide have had their driving licenses taken away from them for three months. Jean Francois Blanco, the Demo lawyer, explained that the Magistrate can take the decision to take away driving licenses when the fines are imposed. Gorka Torre is a Seaska (2) school teacher and yesterday he did not know how he was going to get to school today. As soon as the Magistrate’s judgement was made known, the Demo members said that they would be filing an appeal. If they do so, the Court of Pau will handle the affair.

Yesterday Demo’s Jean Noel Etxeberri said, “With the violence meted out by the police the Court of Baiona has taken a qualitative leap with this judgement.” He stressed the fact that the penalty imposed was very harsh and explained that the court agreed with the SNCF’s strategy. “The SNCF wants to take advantage of the economic war to stifle our movement, but it has to realise that we will inflict greater losses and that we are not going to give in. If they want continue this way, the cost they will incur will be two hundred times higher than that involved in putting a bilingual policy into effect in all the stations in the Northern Basque Country.”

(1) Demoak: a movement using active, non-violent means created in the Northern Basque Country (under French jurisdiction) in 2000. It demands DEMOcracy for the Basque Country, an effective Basque language policy, a Basque département and respect for the rights of Basque political prisoners.

(2) Seaska: the Association of Ikastolas or Basque-medium schools in the Northern Basque Country (under French jurisdiction).

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Hearing for Demo

Berria English:

Hearing takes place after courtroom cleared and Demo members injured

Those on trial were kicked out of Court and tear gas was used on them

N. Arbelbide / A. Renteria – BAIONA

There were more than ever in court. 63 accused. The youngest was 16, the oldest 71. They appeared before the magistrate yesterday charged with having obstructed a railway line last November 8. But even if the courtroom was full at the beginning, there was no one left by the time the hearing was over.

The accused were in fact kicked out and tear gas was used on them halfway through the hearing. Half an hour later at 18.25 hours after the courtroom had been emptied, the door had been damaged and the cushions on the seats had been slashed the magistrate resumed the trial that had been adjourned. The Demo members were not present, but the lawyers representing the two sides were. While the lights of the fire fighters were still visible outside, the SNCF lawyer explained what the Demo members were standing accused of. He demanded a total of 14,323.01 euros. The Public Prosecutor for his part requested fines of between 300 and 600 euros each. 600 for those who were in work and who had previous convictions. 300 for the students. There were many students among them. Two of them did not show up, because they were sitting exams. The magistrate said the final sentence would be pronounced on January 15 and that is how the day ended yesterday. It was nearly 19.00 hours and the hearing had lasted five hours. Yesterday’s magistrate explained that the person aged 16 would have a different trial, because she did not have the power to try him or her.

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Christmas Present

What you are about to read is what I call true solidarity:

Zuzen and Demo members get into La Santé to demand transfer of Basque prisoners to the Basque Country

Eleven people climbed the wall and three of them, two Father Christmases and an assistant, went inside the jail

Nora Arbelbide, Special Correspondent/Paris

A total of 11 people climbed the wall of La Santé Prison in Paris. One dressed as Olentzero, two as Father Christmas and the rest in T-shirts of the Demo and Zuzen Ekintza Taldea action groups. They demanded that Basque prisoners be transferred to the Basque Country like the Corsican prisoners, who are being taken to Corsica. They climbed the wall at about 11.30 hours and stayed there until 14.00 hours. Two Father Christmases and an assistant managed to get inside. They had the chance to talk to the prisoners. Below, 25 members of "Demo" and "Zuzen" danced and sang to the accompaniment of music.

Those below were taken to the police headquarters at 12.00 hours. The others were taken at 14.30 hours. The 36 detainees spent the afternoon there and at 17.00 hours the 25 who had remained below were released, the rest two hours later.

It was the third time that a similar event had been staged at La Santé prison. There are about ten Basque prisoners there. "It's a symbolic prison. One of the oldest in the French State. Moreover there have been many reports, medical ones in particular, that show that the prisoners are in a bad situation," said Peio Etxeberri Aintxart, the spokesman for "Demo."

At around 11.15 hours a van stopped outside the main entrance to the prison. 10 metres from there they quietly took out two 10-metre long ladders. Both were put against the wall and 11 members climbed to the top of the wall step by step with the police looking on. There were a couple of police officers there, but all they did was watch. As soon as the other "Demo" and "Zuzen" members who had remained below had switched on the music next to the wall, the melody of "Hator Hator" could be heard, and the 25 who had stayed below danced to the music. With a microphone they cheered on the prisoners and those on top of the wall.

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