I also was in the Parliament

Communique

On 15^th June 2011 (15J) thousands of persons from many places, ages and political opinions demonstrated before the Parliament of Catalonia with a common objective: raising our voices before the politicians to make them see that they do not represent us, and that they do not have the legitimacy to make decisions against the interests of the social majority. It is all about basic rights and governmental negligence which violates the dignity of the people by restricting their freedom of expression and criticism. The streets are the spaces where struggle, dialog, class solidarity building, synergies and the expression of our claims take place.

The police operation on the 15J was designed with the only aim of criminalizing the indignados movement (15M) after the worldwide discredit caused to the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya) by their brutal eviction of the Barcelona camp. Felip Puig —Responsible of Internal Affairs at the Catalan Government— made the deputies walk through the outraged mob. Hundreds addressed to them without causing any physical damage. The police force of Catalonia ( the Mossos d’Esquadra) arrested many of us at random and encouraged the politicians to sue us. Afterwards, the police investigation has been despised by the National Court (Audiencia Nacional), but the lack of procedural guarantees denounced by our lawyers during the police investigation —unnecessary arrests, photographs and files, false reports…— has never been admitted.

During the trial that took place in the National Court, the way in which the judicial machinery works was made evident, as well as the lack of arguments in the prosecution. Despite all the difficulties, solidarity and mutual support never ceased and protest actions were held all around the nation.

The judgement acquitted us because it was understood that we did not carry out any action more serious than what the rest of the mob bravely did. On that day, one of the best denounces to those who hold the political responsibility of the economic and social mismanagement took place. Dignity arose in a radical and critical gaze on a group of politicians who only work for the desires of the capitalist system. Such an intelligent action had to be attacked by all means, crocodile tears, reports of false injuries and countless lies. It was an attack from the institutions and the media against an action which the National Court considered legal.

The acquittal was a heavy blow against those who believe themselves to be superior and are protected by the State. It stated that, despite their usual impunity, criminal law cannot restrict social freedom nor freedom of speech —of course— beyond formal, representative and parliamentary democracy. Surprisingly for us, this acquittal stated that criticism in the streets and popular expression are the basis of political pluralism. According to it, the social movements have to count on a loudspeaker for their demands and demonstrations, and that self-managed tool are the squares and streets. Those are the places from which we can control those who control us.

But now the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) has randomly sentenced some of us, seeking to refute the National Court and to set a deterrent precedent. This new judgement contravenes all the legal guarantees and the discretion of the Court of Human Rights regarding fair procedures and proportionality. It is just a legal aberration.

We have been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, even though the judgement admitted that we did not carry out any aggression. It stated that we were participating in the general will to stop the Parliament that day to avoid the approval of a package of antisocial and inhuman measures. The ideological message that this judgment wants to transmit is quite clear: zero tolerance to the direct popular participation outside the electoral and indoctrination processes. Whoever dares to protest, will be severely punished.

The people who have been sentenced now face the risk of entering prison while they wait for the Strasbourg Court or the Court of Human Rights to condemn the Spanish State once again for breaching of human rights. But this judgement not only affects them. It condemns the whole society because it lowers the limit of permitted protest together with the new legal reforms, such as the Gag Law (Ley Mordaza). The objective of their repression is all of us. We all are a target for a system which we hope to be breathing its last: outraged, doctors, teachers, students, unemployed, migrants, those who have a mortgage…

This trial leads us to denounce and fight still harder against capitalism, wild and catastrophic, and against the repressive machinery, social inequality, inherent corruption… until there is not any trace left of the structure that supports such atrocities.

This judgement sets a precedent which attacks directly the new world we carry in our hearts. The article 498 of the Spanish Criminal Code —full of fascist reminiscences— has never been enforced. It is our firm commitment to make it stay like that forever until we are able to eradicate it.

Judging our voice —the voice of dignity and non-mainstream thought— as a crime is war declaration to us from the institutions. The guardians of law and order show themselves against popular will and against any hope of a fairer system.

Solidarity is our best weapon.

We need you in order to avoid our imprisonment. We need each other.