Spanish Political News

[Anudder Oik]

I've just been out to check my local school, where my wife will vote. It had just been occupied 20 minutes before by only 20 people. I went inside and spoke to an organizer and he said everything was under control and voting would start at 9. My partner is going at 7.30.

400 metres up the road there is another electoral college, it's where the castellers practice and there were nearly 400 there at the occupation with a full party in swing, music, food, people laughing.

we could see the birth of a republic soon.

 

[J Ed]

I've just been out to check my local school, where my wife will vote. It had just been occupied 20 minutes before by only 20 people. I went inside and spoke to an organizer and he said everything was under control and voting would start at 9. My partner is going at 7.30.

400 metres up the road there is another electoral college, it's where the castellers practice and there were nearly 400 there at the occupation with a full party in swing, music, food, people laughing.

we could see the birth of a republic soon.

Then what? Catalans go from being ruled by right-wingers in Madrid to Catalan right-wingers?

 

[J Ed]

Some truly incredible videos out there of people demonstrating against the referendum.



Fascist salutes and singing fascist anthems with far-right fanatic and favelado fave Esperanza Aguirre in attendance.

This stuff also has to be put into the context of the fact that the display of for example pro-ETA signs can get you put in prison. There is no such sanction for open displays of symbols, gestures or anything else related to Francoism.

 

[J Ed]

Guardia Civil not having the best time of it as they try to close down a polling station

 

[Anudder Oik]

Then what? Catalans go from being ruled by right-wingers in Madrid to Catalan right-wingers?

That's very simplistic. The people aren't doing this for a right wing government.

Basque firefighters have arrived to help defend the polling stations.
Bombers bascs arriben a Barcelona per sumar-se a la defensa dels col·legis electorals

 

[Anudder Oik]

There were 5000 fascists in Barcelona today. We have heard they intend to act tomorrow, probably emboldened by today's numbers. But I think the protest was attended by many from outside Catalonia, who hopefully have fucked off back home.

Here they are trying to rip down a "More democracy" sign from Plaza sant Jaume in the historic heart of Barcelona, from the government building I think.

 

[J Ed]

That's very simplistic. The people aren't doing this for a right wing government.

Basque firefighters have arrived to help defend the polling stations.
Bombers bascs arriben a Barcelona per sumar-se a la defensa dels col·legis electorals

I don't read Catalan, sorry. Here in Spanish... Bomberos vascos se suman a la defensa del referéndum

I am sure that most people out on the streets aren't but as you know the biggest or at least the most voted for Catalan Nationalist parties are on the right.

Anyway, from reading Público etc what I can't get a sense of is what is going to happen next, they've managed to close most of the polling stations so a vote that would have been massively contested anyway is going to be contested even further. What a mess.

 

[J Ed]

Guardia Civil not having the best time of it as they try to close down a polling station

Not from tonight apparently, CTXT have taken it down

 

[weltweit]

I heard that Spanish police had taken the Catalan centre offices which would have administered the vote. I am assuming the vote was to be electronic? Does anyone know about that?

 

[Stanley Edwards]

There is a very logical reason why the current Spanish state government would want to let Catalonia go. They appear to be encouraging independence whilst wanting to be seen to stop it. Why? Well, they get rid of a huge vote count that would vote against them in the present system.

By eliminating any Catalan voters from having a say in the national polls, they are preserving their power from Madrid. The rise of Podemos, and others have threatened the likes of the PP and PSOE in Spain. Catalan voters are the biggest threat to the status quo as far as they are concerned. It would be no big loss to the establishment - actually, it would benefit them in many ways.

 

[Anudder Oik]

I don't read Catalan, sorry. Here in Spanish... Bomberos vascos se suman a la defensa del referéndum

I am sure that most people out on the streets aren't but as you know the biggest or at least the most voted for Catalan Nationalist parties are on the right.

Anyway, from reading Público etc what I can't get a sense of is what is going to happen next, they've managed to close most of the polling stations so a vote that would have been massively contested anyway is going to be contested even further. What a mess.

It's always hung parliaments now, the left is on the rise, there are anti-capitalist councillers in parliament and on many councils. They are the CUP and are waging a highly successful war against corruption. One coucillor in the Catalan parliament is a syndicalist from the CGT transport union. That was unheard of a few years ago.

This is the (LIVE) list of the state of the polling stations. Ours is open and has sufficient people in it. No police seen as of yet.

Escoles Obertes

 

[Anudder Oik]

I heard that Spanish police had taken the Catalan centre offices which would have administered the vote. I am assuming the vote was to be electronic? Does anyone know about that?

Ballot boxes with paper. The Guardia Civil can have that building.

 

[weepiper]

 

[Anudder Oik]

The catalan translation gives more detail. They were detained carrying the Estellada flag. Seeing as it is election night and in elections party symbols aren't allowed, I would say they have got them on a technicality, which in itslef says that the police, in some twisted way, recognise the election as legit.

 

[Anudder Oik]

Tractor barricade in Vic

 

[tim]

The catalan translation gives more detail. They were detained carrying the Estellada flag. Seeing as it is election night and in elections party symbols aren't allowed, I would say they have got them on a technicality, which in itslef says that the police, in some twisted way, recognise the election as legit.

Rather compromised as "observers" if they're wandering around with a partisan banner.

 

[J Ed]

Tweet from the Spanish police in support of an anti-referendum rally in which there were speakers from fascist groups

 

[Anudder Oik]

Here are their cunt friends ripping down the more democracy sign. There's a later video where the fucker slips and falls down.

 

[Anudder Oik]

It's 6 in the morning here. My partner went to the polling station at 5, which was the arranged hour for the pickets. When she got there there were 50 people outside and a car pulled up nearby blaring the spanish national anthem, fash. That soon fucked off and since then another 50 people have arrived, so the picket defending the ballot boxes is 100 strong and growing. This is the crucial moment. Same thing happening all over Catalonia. I have to stay at home till about 8 as we can't take our child at this time. From my balcony it's all quiet for now.

 

[tim]

It's 6 in the morning here. My partner went to the polling station at 5, which was the arranged hour for the pickets. When she got there there were 50 people outside and a car pulled up nearby blaring the spanish national anthem, fash. That soon fucked off and since then another 50 people have arrived, so the picket defending the ballot boxes is 100 strong and growing. This is the crucial moment. Same thing happening all over Catalonia. I have to stay at home till about 8 as we can't take our child at this time. From my balcony it's all quiet for now.

I hope everything goes off safely. Good luck!

 

[Anudder Oik]

You can follow LIVE updates with photos here (where it says EN DIRECTE)
Ara.cat

 

[J Ed]

This definitely is from today, looks like things could get ugly today really

 

[tim]

Some leftwing working class folk who see this as a distraction from the class struggle in this article

In Catalonia’s ‘red belt’ leftwing veterans distrust the separatists

 

[J Ed]

The police/Ministry of the Interior showing off their confiscated ballot boxes as if they're kilos of cocaine or weapons or something

 

[Favelado]

Well done PP. This is really making sure independence has gone from possible to inevitable.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Looks like it's starting to turn nasty.

 

[butchersapron]

Straight out of the big book of internment by the spanish state but they've added a twist by getting a full franco facial tattoo.

 

[weepiper]

 

[weepiper]

Getting pretty unpleasant.

 

[salem]

This definitely is from today, looks like things could get ugly today really

Out of interest, are the Mossos d'Esquadra getting involved at all? IIRC They come under the control of the regional gov. Not the nicest bunch of guys but would they have any interest in defending the polling stations?