Square protesters try to besiege the Catalan Parliament

Barcelona (ACN).- This Wednesday the Catalan Parliament lived its most tense day since its restoration in 1980. Hundreds of angry protesters blocked access to the Parliament in order to impede the MPs entrance and therefore force a boycott of Wednesday’s parliamentary debate on the Catalan budget. They were part of the “indignats” movement that has been camping out in Spain’s squares for the last month. They are angry with the political class and the current economic situation of high unemployment, high housing prices and high bank profits. The protesters besieged the Parliament and some of them turned violent. The MPs who tried to gain access on foot to Barcelona’s Ciutadella Park, where the Parliament is located, were insulted, pushed or even painted with sprays. Some MPs succeeded to enter the building but others, after several attempts on foot and even being escorted by the riot police, chose other means. Many MPs had to arrive in riot police vans or via helicopter, including the Catalan President and the Catalan Parliament’s President –Catalonia’s two most important authorities–. Those are certainly some of the images of the year. However eventually MPs managed to access the Parliament and the first parliamentary debate on the 2011 budget took place. A unanimous official statement condemning the antidemocratic blocking of the Parliament was approved by the Parliament’s Bureau. The Catalan President Artur Mas stated he “will not tolerate the use of violence” and he “will guarantee the normal functioning of the Parliament”. Mas added that if protesters continue acting violently and blocking the Parliament police will act, “as happens in all democracies”. Madrid’s Plaza del Sol protesters condemned “the shameful” violent scenes lived in Barcelona this morning and stressed that the “indignats” movement defends “peaceful protest”. Barcelona’s ‘indignats’ movement condemned “the isolated violence episodes”, but said to have the right to block the Parliament.

Protesters arrived on Tuesday night and spent the night in front of the Park’s gates, which had been closed by police as prevention. Protesters had announced today’s siege many days ago, when they were deciding whether to leave or not Catalunya Square’s camp, and also when the memories of the riot police charges against demonstrators were still very fresh. On Friday May 27^th, Catalan Police reacted on the provocations by a few violent protesters and charged against demonstrators, which provoked hours of chaos in Barcelona’s downtown and more than 120 injured people. The clash between the Catalan Police and the “indignats” movement was repeated today. However, when two weeks ago police action received much criticism, today it was the “indignats” movement that was the target of criticism.

On Wednesday morning, many violent actions made by groups of protesters could be seen in front of the Park’s gates, including aggressive behaviour towards the MPs. Some MPs were insulted, pushed or even sprayed. The former Catalan Minister for Justice the Socialist Montserrat Tura had a black cross painted on her jacket. The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist MP Josep Maria Llop, who is blind, complained that protesters had been trying to take away his dog.

A part of the “indignats” claims against violence

These violent attitudes provoked a split within the “indignats” movement. The movement’s spokespersons denounced the use of violence and ask for peaceful protests. To avoid repeating the morning’s incidents, the movement’s assembly decided to leave the Ciutadella Park’s gates and walk towards Sant Jaume Square, where the Catalan Government’s Palace is located. However, a group of protesters decided to stay. Police kept its impressive cordon. At the end, when the parliamentary session ended around 21h, no incidents were registered. All the politicians and Parliament’s staff were able to leave the zone. Many of them did it on foot and some with their official car. The Catalan President had already warned that police would act if necessary, “making use of its democratic prerogative to use force”, “a controlled, measured and sensible use of force”.