As I reported in my last blog post, another direct action protest was organised in Zaragoza on May 6th as a response to the fines imposed on the 'Stop Evictions' movement, fines given to 51 protesters totalling 17,000 euros. The protest was in the same place as the last one - outside the residence of Eloy Suarez, regional PP leader. This time there were 150 people in place of 51...and the police did not take action.
However, since then, a Senegalese immigrant, who two years ago suffered a broken ankle in a scuffle with police during an anti-eviction protest, was jailed for six months, being effectively blamed for actions leading to his own injury.
Fundraising has begun to pay the fines with street collections and crowd-funding.
Pablo Hijar, an organiser of 'Stop Evictions Zaragoza' who has a fine of 1,500 euros for the first demonstration said: "As they can't shut the people up with reason, they're trying to shut us up with force.We are a movement of active but peaceful disobedience. These (the fines) are provocations and they're fining us to frighten us and ,above all, to see if we will be able to overcome this." *
* Pablo's words were spoken in Spanish, so I have translated them here.
However, since then, a Senegalese immigrant, who two years ago suffered a broken ankle in a scuffle with police during an anti-eviction protest, was jailed for six months, being effectively blamed for actions leading to his own injury.
Fundraising has begun to pay the fines with street collections and crowd-funding.
Pablo Hijar, an organiser of 'Stop Evictions Zaragoza' who has a fine of 1,500 euros for the first demonstration said: "As they can't shut the people up with reason, they're trying to shut us up with force.We are a movement of active but peaceful disobedience. These (the fines) are provocations and they're fining us to frighten us and ,above all, to see if we will be able to overcome this." *
* Pablo's words were spoken in Spanish, so I have translated them here.