Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated throughout Wednesday in Spain’s major cities. According to the Interior Ministry, by the end of the day there had been 142 arrests with 74 people injured (43 of them police officers). There were violent incidents in Madrid where police were deployed to prevent protests near the Congress of Deputies.
According to police, up to 110,000 people gathered in the Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona; in Valencia, 35,000 and in Madrid, also 35,000 people.
WELL-ORGANISED
In the run-up to 14-N well-organised strikers gathered in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid on Tuesday evening including lead representatives of the UGT and CCOO, Candido Mendez and Ignacio Fernandez Toxo. They called on workers not to be “intimidated” or “pressured” by their employers to avoid strike action.
Union leaders called for a mass mobilization to “…stop the social and economic suicide” caused by government policies. Flags and banners were handed out along with useful advice on how strikers should conduct themselves.
The strike affected the steel, chemical, automotive and construction industries and also garbage collection in major cities. According to union organisers, a total of 14.23 million employees went on strike with a further 2.26 million participating in ‘minimum service’. Thus only 2.79 million people attended work on a ‘normal’ day.
Production was interrupted in most large factories, such as Nissan and Seat in Catalonia and at Opel Volkswagen in Navarra and Aragon: not one employee showed up for the night shift at Ford Valencia.
Preciados, one of Madrid’s main shopping streets of the city centre, was choked by at least 20 anti-riot armoured vehicles and El Corte Ingles customers accessed the building through a line of protection officers. Many retailers made a decision to stay open for business along with some supermarkets.
By 7.30pm in Madrid, public order had completely broken down and by 9pm police had begun to use force to control the surging crowds, launching tear gas and firing rubber bullets at groups of protesters throwing bottles and starting fires.
Trade unions made it clear they expected more than just promises to come out of imminent meetings with Rajoy. Secretary General of the Workers’ Commission (CCOO) Ignacio Fernandez Toxo said the possibility of more general strikes in the coming months is “in the hands of the government.”
RESULT
On Thursday the Cabinet approved a motion pass an urgent decree to mitigate evictions. People with incomes of less than 19,000€ pa will no longer be eligible for foreclosure.