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Spain: The #15M Celebrate Christmas With Outrage

Categories: Western Europe, Spain, Citizen Media, Politics, Protest

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis. [1]

On Wednesday December 28, 2011, Madrid, Barcelona, and a number of other main Spanish cities celebrated the so-called #IndignantProcession [2] (#CabalgataIndignata in Spanish), organized by the #15M [3] [es], which, under the slogan, “We've lost our innocence because we will no longer believe the lies, nor will we stay silent before this joke of losing our basic rights,” brought over 5,000 people to the streets of Madrid, reuniting in Puerta del Sol.

[4]

The meeting's poster

@acampadasol [5]: Lo importante es que hoy hemos vuelto a las calles para manifestarnos con imaginación y creatividad. Enhorabuena, #15M [6]#NoSoyInocente [7]

@acampadasol [5]: The important thing is that today we've returned to the streets to declare ourselves with imagination and creativity.  Congratulations, #15M [6]#IAmNotInnocent [7]

@ [8]juventudsin [8]: La # cabalgataindignada [9] bajando por la Calle Alcalá entre villancicos y tambores pic.twitter.com/8FFKFQNR [10]

@ [8]juventudsin [8]: The #indignantprocession [9] marching down Alcalá Street amongst carols and drums pic.twitter.com/8FFKFQNR [10]

The popular rally returned to highlight the demands that the #15M have spent quite some time asking for more citizen participation in the so-called market dictatorship and a more participatory democracy.  This time, taking advantage of the holiday festivities, they celebrated it as a recreational activity [11] [es], bringing together a large number of participants [12] [es] until they arrived at Puerta del Sol.

Start of the Indignant Procession. Image by alteridadperiodicocultural.blogspot.com [13]

Start of the Indignant Procession. Image by alteridadperiodicocultural.blogspot.com

Tensions

A few days ago, this video was posted, starring the #15M members of Valladolid in an eviction at the gate in Belén, which denounced the evictions that were being practiced en masse throughout the entire country.

An argument with the police broke out during the procession that resulted in the police charging at some of the participants [14], and even detaining a neighbor of the APBM [15].

Moments of tension during the procession. Image by Flickr user pierrerc

Moments of tension during the procession. Image by Flickr user pierrerc

In the end, the procession regained its calm and resumed without any more incidents, demonstrating once more that the strength of the #15M lies in taking advantage of occasions to continue reinventing ways to make its demands known.

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis. [1]