What's happening in Spain
There is little echo in the international press of the recent events in Spain, be it the growing mass gatherings [3], or some cases of its violent repression by the police [1]. This is a bit strange as the events are both important and notable. Since the demonstrations are pacific and their demands are mainly against political corruption and decency in the conduct of power, I have only positive feelings about it. Today, we went in Munich to support the indignados, themselves supporting the core movement in Spain.
There was maybe around an hundred persons, in a small circle, a dozen active with signs and cooking pots to rhythm the slogans. A few allocutions, mainly in Spanish and German, some bits also in French, we heard nothing in English. One van of polizei at a little distance with three men on easy duty.
The Bavarian capital was celebrating an anniversary of some sort today. The stream of passers-by happily walking from the Biergartens of Marienplatz or Odeonsplatz was meeting this little reef of protest with curious but distant interest, probably excited by these remote flames from the Arabian protests that started to catch in Iberia and is now projecting little sparks at the end of the Neuhauser Straße.
What's happening in Spain is thus still not affecting much the rest of Europe. Many earth-shaking events have their roots in Spain where the rest of the world was happy to think it was only their business. We'll have to wait to see if this time again the misfortunes of Spaniards will mark the opening of a chain of events that will shatter history. Or if, indeed, this was nothing more than banging metallic dishes. I took some photos that will give a fairer description of this manifestation, which in its immediate objectives, those of its pacific character and number of attendants, was a full success.
The indignados,
and their supporters.
Behind the protest.
