For over ten days, the Assembly of the Marches of Dignity – Madrid had taken the unanimous decision of calling a concentration on October 1 under the slogan “Madrid for the Right to Decide, Against the Repression.”Por Corriente Roja-Madrid
The repressive measures taken by the Spanish State during the previous weeks announced that October 1 would be harsh and complicated. Sadly, the worst prognostics were confirmed, and the government wanted to show that the thousands of agents of the National Police Force and civil guards did not travel to Catalonia for tourism.
And so, Sunday morning, from the first moment, the brutal police charges happened one after another in the voting schools of Catalonia against the people making lines to vote, and even at the doors. An uncontrolled violence that took the polls trying to avoid the voting by hitting and pushing. Repressive forces that, by the end of the day, had the “honor” of leaving more than 800 wounded, two of them seriously.
However, neither the policy of fear nor the shameful media campaign of the last weeks managed to impede for the Puerta del Sol to be crowded. Madrid raised in solidarity, committed, combative, and brave: the Madrid of the No Pasarán. A Puerta del Sol that, as the day passed by, filled until occupying a good part of the square with 10,000 demonstrators.
Our organizations met at the Puerta del Sol too, among them the Sindicato de Comisiones de Base (Co.bas), the AST, and Solidaridad Obrera, the Sindicato de Estudiantes, the UJCE, Corriente Roja, Red Roja, Izquierda Castellana, the CRT; the IZAR, the Coordinadora 25S, and more.
According to the press itself, fifteen minutes before the beginning, a group of individuals carrying flags of Spain tried to enter the square, so the situation got really tense. Crying Madrid will be the grave of Fascism the people were able to kick this group out, and after this, the agents of the National Police crossed the street in half forming a great police cordon.
Ángel Luis Parras, from Co.Bas and member of the Marches of Dignity, declared that the first police cordon occurred by the call of Fascists groups on social media. “Here we are, to express our repudiation to the repression, to defend the right of the Catalan people to decide, and to demand Rajoy to leave, because under this regime it is impossible for the people to decide,” he said.
The combativeness of the concentration was persistent, and the red and republican flags mixed with slogans of support to the Catalan people: “yes, yes, yes, right to decide,” “The people’s voice is not illegal,” “Against your repression, our solidarity,” “Catalonia: you’re not alone,” “Madrid is with the Catalan people,” support to the general strike, and “votarem.”
After 20 or 30 hours, the concentration ended with the reading of the State resolution of the Marches of Dignity and the son of L’Estaca and the signing of Els segadors.
Once again, the Marches of Dignity made honor to its name and showed the reason of its existence. The Marches of Dignity and the organizations that make part, which, in a historical moment as the one we are living, did not hesitate in running from equidistance and ambiguity, and from the first moment stood next to those leading the fight against the monarchic, corrupt regime.
Congratulations to all those that went to the streets yesterday to defend the democratic rights of a people.
Bread, Work, Roof, Equality, and Right to Decide!
