Victims of terrorist acts criticize courts linking pro-independence protests with terrorism

Victims of the 2017 terrorist attacks on La Rambla and in Cambrils, and of ETA attacks in Catalonia have told the Catalan New Agency that they are against the link made between pro-independence protests and terrorism.

Courts are investigating Tsunami Democràtic for potential acts of terrorism for the protests the anonymous grassroots group organized in the wake of the sentencing of the independence referendum leaders, which included the partial shut down of Barcelona airport and the blocking of the AP-7 highway at the border with France for a number of days. 

Jesús Fructuoso, brother of Juan Fructuoso, the first civilian victim of Basque pro-independence group ETA in Catalonia, feels "insulted" by this link made by Spanish courts, and says that the word terrorism is being "trivialized."

Javier Martínez, the father of Xavi, the 3-year-old boy killed in Barcelona in August 2017, agrees with Jesus: "Trivializing this word hurts all victims a lot."

Lawyer Jone Goirizelaia, who defended many members of the Basque pro-independence political wing accused of collaborating with ETA, assures that the Spanish judiciary "has transferred 100%" the strategy it applied in the Basque Country to Catalonia now. 

Civic entities warn investigation "criminalizes" right to protest

Over 140 civil society organizations have warned that the Tsunami Democràtic terrorism investigation "criminalizes the right to protest, limits fundamental rights, and silences political dissent."

In a manifesto signed by 144 entities, they added that the National Court investigation is an action "of an authoritarian nature that restricts the space of civil society and endangers democratic principles and the rule of law."

In addition, they denounced the "clear intention" to "wear out the state government and the parliamentary majority in the processing of the amnesty."