Just a few hours after Pedro Sánchez met with his workers in Ferraz to show them his solidarity and support, hundreds of people are once again gathering on the outskirts of the socialist headquarters to protest against the amnesty and the PSOE’s approach to the independence movement. There have now been six nights of demonstrations in the surroundings of Ferraz, which is once again protected with a police deployment of about 300 officers after the disturbances caused this Tuesday by several radical groups.
Attendance is noticeably lower than the previous day. In general, there is less tension and fewer people despite the fact that the deployment of riot police is practically identical to that of Tuesday. In any case, and to prevent the ultras from taking control of the protest, the protesters demand to “show their faces” to those who attend with balaclavas or their faces covered, amid shouts of “no violence.” The National Police also separates and identifies those who do not have their faces uncovered.
However, some radicals are approaching the head of the demonstration. In the first rows, fewer and fewer whistles are heard. It seems that little by little the hard wing is taking positions along the perimeter on the Marqués de Urquijo street side. Shortly before 10:00 p.m., various small groups with a radical profile have accessed the first section of the concentration and, despite being rebuked by the protesters, they have taken over the row closest to the fence. From there they display ultra symbols and praise José Antonio Primo de Rivera.
Throughout the afternoon, attendees have whistled and booed those hooded who tried to gain positions or those who displayed extreme right-wing symbols. “Violence does not represent us,” they shouted while several even confronted the radicals. There have also been discussions between protesters accusing each other of being ultras, a “We are not CDR” banner and people saying “illa, illa, illa, the fences to Melilla.”
Furthermore, the protesters chanted insults against Carles Puigdemont or Arnaldo Otegi, and demanded the presence of the PP leadership, which has completely distanced itself from these concentrations. They also chanted against Felipe VI: “Mason, defend your nation.”
Other chants that have been heard were: “Sánchez, you asshole, you’re going to go to the trullo” and “Pedro, you scoundrel, Spain won’t shut up” and even the now classic “where are they, you can’t see each other, the PP kids.” “, a historical slogan of the leftist demonstrations in the capital, even prior to 15-M.
There have been songs from Cara al Sol too. Some second the chants, other protesters whistle. This type of divisions, also evidenced by the attempts at confrontations between the hooded and those with uncovered faces (many of them claim to be residents of the area) give an idea of ??the heterogeneity of the public that attends this event, which continues to be a large number. quieter than the previous two.
The Government Delegation estimated that 1,500 attended this sixth night of protests, a number closer to that of the first days, when the spontaneous call led to the first cuts in Ferraz. This Thursday, despite it being a holiday in Madrid, Revuelta, the youth association related to Vox, has called a rally at the gates of the EU headquarters in Madrid that will move again to the vicinity of Ferraz.
What has not been lacking, in any case, have been slogans against the press covering this week’s demonstrations, as well as chants against the security forces, such as “Police, defend your nation”, “you have no balls with the Moors” or “those milkmaids at the border.” Despite everything, the atmosphere was much less tense than the previous day. “Journalists out of here”, “Spanish, manipulative press…”. The protesters have jumped on top of the television reporters who were trying to connect for live broadcasts. Some shaking and some shin kicks, but little else.
During the previous days, the television stations have faced great hostility from the majority of the protesters, with chants such as those mentioned above, shouts of “murderers” and shouts of “Televisión Antosa”, directed at the RTVE mobile units.
Despite the violent outcome of the last concentration – seven arrested, about 40 injured and containers and motorcycles burned in the surrounding neighborhoods – parties like Vox continue to call for a “constant” mobilization in which the spirit and behavior of the participants is peaceful. . This Wednesday, in fact, it was the union related to Vox, Solidaridad, that called for a rally at 8:00 p.m. near Ferraz, where nearly 8,000 people gathered on Tuesday, according to the Government Delegation.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m., deputy José María Figaredo (VOX) arrives in Ferraz. They greet him with chants of “Where is he? Can’t you see the Galician from the PP?”
The call on social networks has once again mobilized the protesters, even more so after the negotiations between the PSOE and Junts are completely stalled, which delays the date to set Sánchez’s investiture debate. The right, therefore, is preparing for more street protests that demonstrate that social sentiment, always in a civic and peaceful manner, is contrary to the amnesty.
The surroundings of Ferraz remain armored: in recent days the police perimeter has been expanded considerably. This Tuesday, various groups tried to jump the police perimeter on both sides of Ferraz Street, and caused altercations on Marqués de Urquijo and Pintor Rosales streets.
Previously, a faction of the concentration abandoned the protest in Ferraz and walked, in a language of more than a kilometer, along Plaza España and Gran Vía in the direction of Congress. Finally, there was a sit-in in Neptune Square that blocked traffic in the center of the capital.
