Spain: Many Reasons to Take to the Streets on 12M

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis

In Spain on 15 May, the first anniversary of 15M will be commemorated. There are a huge number of events scheduled all over the country for the next several days. Some have already begun, like in Barcelona with the Fòrum dels Pobles (The People's Forum) [cat] which opened in Plaça Catalunya at 18:00 hrs with the aim of generating a space for debate, collaboration and sharing among different collectives who are working for change.

On Saturday 12 May (12M), protests are predicted to take place in many cities across Spain. The platform Democracia Real Ya (Real Democaracy Now) [es] and the portal Tomalaplaza (Take The Square) [es] bring together some of the initiatives from not only the local, but also the global sphere, such as videos and images:

There are many different, yet overlapping reasons to head to the streets on May 12. Spanish tweeters have been exposing these reasons for two days over the internet. The hashtags #YoVoy12M (I'm Going 12M), launched on Thursday, and #ALaPlaza (To The Square), launched on Friday, have been Trending Topics (TT) in Spain itself, but also on a globally. @mantaypeli is putting together a  Storify [es] of the tweets.

Here we have a few more:

@Nofwer#YoVoy12M: Por la busqueda de una Democracia Total! Y no este simulacro.

@Nofwer#YoVoy12M: In search of Total Democracy. And not this sham.

@Aldana72#M12 #12m15m: Por nuestro futuro. Por nuestra dignidad. Tenemos que ir #yovoy12m

@Aldana72#M12 #12m15m: For our future. For our dignity. We need to go.

@qmbx#YoVoy12M: porque será la mejor carrera que podamos hacer juntos. #15M es sentirse indignado. #12M es sentirse vendido. #12M15M es respuesta.

@qmbx#YoVoy12M: because it will be the best path we can take together.

@pabloskybarbato: #YoVoy12M: porque no somos terroristas al decir que hay algo más en esta vida que ir cada 4 años a las urnas o ir a las urnas

@pabloskybarbato: #YoVoy12M: because we are not terrorists for saying that there is something more to life than going to vote every 4 years or going to vote

@pabloskybarbato: #YoVoy12M: porque creo que la organización y el debate de la vox populi es la única forma de sacarnos de esta y de cualquier situación

@pabloskybarbato: #YoVoy12M: because I believe that organisation and the debate of the vox populi is the only way for us to get out of this, and any other, situation.

@carlos605486545#YoVoy12M: todavía no he visto a un político en crisis

@carlos605486545#YoVoy12M: I still haven't seen a politician in crisis.

@juulia022: Perquè estic farta que es prometin coses que mai arriben a complir-se! #YoVoy12M #12m15m

@juulia022: Because I am sick of them promising us things that they never get around to doing.

@Jc36Lj#YoVoy12M: por educacion por que es sano y me gusta lo publico

@Jc36Lj#YoVoy12M: for education because it is healthy and I like it.

@julkfusion#YoVoy12M: con esperanza, ganas de crear… Aun hay quien pregunta “por qué”?

@julkfusion#YoVoy12M: with hope, a desire to believe… there is still someone who asks “why?”

@andergayamor#yovoy12m: Porque llevamos en nuestro corazón un mundo nuevo que está naciendo.

@andergayamor#yovoy12m: Because we carry in our hearts a new world that is being born.

@LauraIpunto1 Sin educación, sin sanidad, sin vivienda, sin rescate ciudadano…Españoles la democracia a muerto!!! #AlaPlaza12M

@LauraIpunto1: No education, no health service, no housing, no citizen bailout. Spaniards, democracy has died!!! #AlaPlaza12M

@iaioflautas#Alaplaza12M: A disfrutar del solecico y el 13-14 unas partidas de dominó por la plaza entre debate y debate :)

@iaioflautas#Alaplaza12M: To enjoy the sunshine and the 13-14 or so games of dominoes between debates.

@apardo#aLaPlAzA12m: porque esto no es una crisis, es una estafa

@apardo#aLaPlAzA12m: because this isn't a crisis, it's a fraud.

@gorriato: El año pasado con el #15M les dimos un ultimátum a nuestros políticos. Lejos de mejorar, las cosas han empeorado #AlaPlaza12M #12M15M

@gorriato: Last year with #15M we gave our politicians and ultimatum. Far from improving, things have worsened. #AlaPlaza12M #12M15M

@A_Cas: Si el gobierno no cuida de los ciudadanos, los ciudadanos cuidamos de los ciudadanos #AlaPlaza12M

@A_Cas: If the government doesn't look after its citizens, citizens will look after themselves. #AlaPlaza12M

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis

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