protests

Staff members from Catalonia’s main hospitals, including Sant Pau, Vall d’Hebron, Clínic, Parc Taulí and Germans Trias i Pujol, carried out several protests on Wednesday. Some of these protests had already started a few days ago and might last a few days longer, such as spending the night in the hospital lobby. They are demonstrating to criticise the budget cuts affecting health centres and to defend the public healthcare system. Some of these hospitals are recognised at an international level for their top quality clinical and scientific research work.

Despite initial fears of violent incidents the European Central Bank’s Governing Council meeting has been held peacefully. 8,000 police officers guarded the event by literally occupying the city. Besides, the ‘indignados’ movement demobilized their forces, and no anti-system protests took place.

The Spanish Government has taken this measure for the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council that will be held in Barcelona from May 2nd to 4th. The cancellation of the Schengen Protocol comes after a request by the Catalan Minister for Home Affairs to prevent the arrival of violent protesters and guarantee security during the meeting. This precautionary measure will come into effect from April 28th to May 4th, both included. It will be combined with 6,500 police deployed on the streets of the capital of Catalonia. All these measures will be taken after an evaluation of the risks of trouble during the event.

The General Strike on March 29th ended without significant changes in the Spanish Government’s Labour Reform, but with a clear acknowledgement that there is growing social anger. The strike was unevenly supported in Catalonia. Unions talked about sector strike participation ranging between 97% and 57% and the Catalan Government about strike participations ranging between 24% and 10%. Minimum services worked as planned, without any significant incidents. Demonstrations took place in the main Catalan cities, with the largest in Barcelona. Isolated violent incidents were the only negative parts of what was a relatively calm day.

Catalan university staff and students protested against the budget cuts, temporary worker lay offs and an increase in university fees. Peaceful demonstrations with thousands of participants were organised in Barcelona, Tarragona, Girona, and Lleida. However, the Barcelona demonstration did not stick to the schedule and split into different protests. A group of students became violent and broke the glass at a bank branch, threw eggs at the stock exchange, burned three containers and one vehicle, and occupied the rectorate at Barcelona University. 500 students concentrated in front of the Mobile World Congress, which is taking place in Barcelona, and police prevented them from breaking in.

Prison employee unions and the Catalan Government, which manages all prisons in Catalonia, have carried an arm wrestling over the past few weeks. Trade unions have been impeding access to some Catalan prisons on three occasions: in early December and this week. The Government claims these actions are illegal, represent a risk and refuses to negotiate under this threat. Unions are mainly protesting over salary cuts and a lack of human resources.

The Catalan Government is obliged to reduce the public deficit and the public healthcare system is also subsequently affected by the budget cuts. Doctor and nursing unions are mobilised, while salary reduction and temporary lay offs are being discussed. Waiting lists have increased due to some hospital services being partially and temporarily closed, especially during the summer months. Many citizens have been protesting, in different demonstrations. The Catalan Health Ministry announced new maximum waiting times for severe interventions. In addition, some hospitals are reopening some operating rooms.

The judge Eloy Velasco has accepted the case, that deals with the attacks against members of parliament commited by protesters against the spending cuts. There are calls on the Prosecutor of Barcelona to release the proceedings and recordings of the investigation

Mowafak Kanfach asks for the Syrian regime to be taken to the International Criminal Court. He is living in Barcelona because he was forced to leave his country because of political reasons.

Catalan and Barcelona Police tried to remove protesters from Barcelona’s Catalunya Square to facilitate the work of cleaners to dismantle the camp. The official reason was to prevent violent action on Saturday night if FC Barcelona wins the Champions League. After the resistance offered by some protesters, riot police charged violently causing more than 120 injured and the indignation of protesters, many civil society organisations and opposition parties. The Catalan Minister for Home Affairs accepted responsibility and stated that police were following orders. Protesters took the square back and set up the camp again. A similar operation took place in Lleida.

The Catalan Government is cutting the Healthcare System’s expenditure by 10% because the public deficit needs to be drastically reduced this year. Health professionals started protesting last week because they fear a worsening of services and working conditions. The Catalan Minister for Health, Boi Ruiz guaranteed basic health services, but the protests continue.

Demonstrators carried signs that said “Free Egypt” or “Up with Egypt, down with Mubarak”. All their claims demanded the President’s immediate resignation.

Four hundred people block a road to oppose the nuclear warehouse at Ascó. The village has posted its candidature to host this controversial equipment, which will store all the nuclear waste produced in Spain in the last years and in the next decade.