Today, in the night of May 15th, our group received news from Catalan comrades that the National High Court has delivered several detention warrants, 5 in total. However, while this communiqué is being written, only one is confirmed. The mass media, for its part, has been spreading half truths, non-corroborated information, and different forms of criminalization. Nothing new so far.
Since the name of our group (and the link to our blog) has been extensively spread by mass media and in social networks (where even our seal and graphic allusions to our group have been used), we want to clarify that the Black Flag Group from Madrid, affiliated to the FIJL (Iberian Federation of Libertarian Youth), due to several geographical reasons, has nothing to do with the news of the kidnappings in the morning of Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, that allegedly took place in Sabadell. This is pretty obvious for anyone who decides to minimally check the information, since the area of territorial action of our group is limited to Madrid.
This said, we want to show our solidarity to the arrested person (we insist that we only know of one arrest so far), as well as with the people who manage the Libertarian Ateneo in Sabadell that was raided by the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalonian cops) on the morning of May 15th, directly ordered by the National High Court.
As far as we know, all this mess comes from a Facebook page and weak accusations of inciting terrorism. This has been used by the State thugs as an excuse to raid the Libertarian Ateneo in Sabadell and steal various materials, as well as spread fear and doubt in the anarchist milieu, both in Catalonia and the rest of the Spanish State. The State is showing its toughest face once again and rewards us with a show of strength to remind us that it is eager and ready to fall with all its repressive power on anyone who questions this system and dares to fight it.
This dirty trick has followed a very recognizable pattern in the last few years in attempts to criminalize anarchism: detentions and defamation against anarchist militants, and a continuous barrage of words like “terrorism”, “anti-system” or “violent” in the Press and on TV. These categories accomplish the goal of creating a media role to legitimate repression in the eyes of so-called public opinion. In a sinister, Machiavellian festival, Press, police and judges dance in unison in order to isolate, criminalize and persecute anarchist ideas.
For all of those who still believe in and have expectations of bourgeois justice, all this infamous operation has been commanded by the Judge of the National High Court, Santiago Pedraz. This despicable individual was raised as an example to follow by many after filing away the trial against the detainees in the events that took place during the protests of “Surround the Congress” in September 2012. Now he is giving legal shelter to the prosecution of the anarchist movement. Once again, it is clear that the judges are part of a legal system which is nothing else but a repressive tool in order to keep the established order.
Again, the National High Court has displayed its fascist and totalitarian roots by prosecuting those dissident expressions against the authoritarian regime we live in. For more than a year now, harassment and detentions by the Spanish State have been carried out against the anarchist movement in its territory and it has only grown exponentially. The numerous detentions experienced in Barcelona since the General Strike on March 29th, 2012; all the detentions and fines that have been taking place in the rest of the Spanish State and, generally, the harrying by the State against any kind of dissidence only confirm the violent and authoritarian character of this control machine.
Because all of the above, we will continue to denounce the repressive actions of the State and its tools to practice greater social control, such as the school (as indoctrinating element), the judges, the police, and the mass media -the true means of diffusion of the regime’s propaganda. We will keep on denouncing its repressive role and we will keep on fighting for the freedom of imprisoned people and against all forms of authority.
For us, repression is the logical answer from the system when it is being threatened. We refuse to accept the role of helpless victims and to show ourselves as the perfect citizens who have never killed a fly. We are anarchists who focus on propaganda and cultural dissemination, but we also believe in the need to fight against everything that oppresses us, far from Parliaments and any other institution of the system. Solidarity and direct action are theoretical and practical approaches that we use on our daily lives. Against their aggressions, we do not bow our heads, but respond instead.
2 thoughts on “Madrid, Spain: Communiqué by Black Flag Group after the repression in Sabadell (Catalonia)”
Five persons are said to be locked up (without bail for all of them).
According to raw reports here http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/467591/index.php, they have been sent to the prison of Soto del Real (Madrid).
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/467612/index.php
Anarchist solidarity poster that reads: “Five anarchist comrades have been imprisoned by the fascist National High Court, charged with membership in a criminal band and other meaningless accusations. Their crime? To organize themselves and struggle. Our response? To keep fighting. We will take you out! Freedom for anarchist prisoners”
Related links in English: http://waronsociety.noblogs.org/?p=8067, http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/467646/index.php, http://325.nostate.net/?p=7883
Solidarity blog: http://freedomforthefive.wordpress.com/manifiesto/english
CAMPAIGN DEMANDING THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE 5 ANARCHISTS FROM BARCELONA IMPRISONED IN SOTO DE REAL PRISON
On 15th May were arrested at their homes, in the province of Barcelona, Yolanda, Silvia, Juan, Xavier and José by order of the Spanish National Court in a police operation that resulted also in the smashing and seizure of material from Catalan anarchist premises.
Accused of committing crimes of membership of a terrorist group, praising terrorism, recruitment and indoctrination and storage of explosive substances, they are currently remanded in prison in Soto del Real (Madrid) far away from their family and friends, under third grade imprisonment.
The details of these allegations are: The alleged involvement of these five anarchists on Facebook pages (Bandera Negra and Front Solidari de Barcelona among others) that the state and regional police forces consider to be “terrorist gangs”-despite did not demonstrating any activity outside the networks -; their attendance at demonstrations in which there have been incidents and dissemination of opinions “that have aimed to disseminate subversive ideas and to incite and / or commit crimes against State and capitalist interests “(Writ of 17/05/2013).
Moreover, the prosecution believes that the material seized in their homes reinforces these accusations: Flags and shirts with anarchist iconography, libertarian philosophy books, gasoline from the garage, screws of various kinds, Valencian firecrackers and rockets whose marketing is legal.
In connection with these events, from this platform for the release of the five anarchists arrested in Barcelona, whose purpose is the dissemination and reporting of the unjust situation in which they find themselves, we here declare:
1. That, taking into account the “evidence” on which they are based, such charges are ridiculously disproportionate and extremely unfair, which demonstrates once again the lack of validity of the current political system, the imperious will of the repressing ruling class the deeply fascist DNA of the Spanish state and the latent lack of political independence of our judicial system.
2. That the fact that despite accusing them of such crimes they are not charged under the normal anti-terrorism law or processed with the usual procedure in such cases reveals the judicial circus that our colleagues are involved in and the lack of serious evidence that would lead anyone with common sense to think that they are terrorists.
3. That his arrest and continued detention clearly reflects a desire repressive and ideological persecution to those who reject the current political regime, which is absolutely unacceptable and unjustifiable.
For all these reasons we DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ANARCHIST FIVE OF BARCELONA and appeal to the solidarity of all those who, like them, reject the unjust economic system, political and social setup. That is why we ask for your help and support to publicise the situation of Yolanda, Juan Silvia, José and Xavier, till there’s no one is left who hasn’t heard of the vicious of political, media and police frame-up they have been victims of.
We want them back, our comrades, friends, parents. We want them home free, with us.
If you would like to collaborate you can contact us at: cincdebarcelona[at]riseup.net