2023 Spanish protests

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2023 Spanish protests
Part of 2023 Spanish government formation
Demonstration in Plaza de Colón on 29 October 2023 (top); protest against the amnesty in Calle de Ferraz on 6 November (bottom)
Date29 October 2023 – present
(3 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Spain, primarily Madrid
Caused by
Goals
  • Resignation of Pedro Sánchez.
  • Dissolution of parliament and calling of a new general election.
MethodsProtests, demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil disorder (rioting, vandalism)
StatusOngoing
Parties

Protesters

Supported by
Lead figures

No centralized leadership

Casualties and losses
50 injured
+30 detained
36 injured

The 2023 Spanish protests are a series of protests which began in October 2023, resulting from the announced negotiations of then-acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez's Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) with former president of the Government of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont's Together for Catalonia (Junts) party. These negotiations were aimed at forming a governing coalition after the 2023 Spanish general election.[1][2]

Alberto Núñez Feijóo's People's Party (PP), failed to form a government as they could not muster enough support to reach a parliamentary majority. After Feijóo failed in his investiture vote, King Felipe VI instructed Sánchez with the task of forming a government.[3] The distribution of seats, after the election resulted in Sánchez being required to rely on Junts (with seven seats in Congress at the time) to vote in his favor to be able to form a government.[4][5] Junts had not supported him in the formation of previous governments, having voted against him in his July 2019 and January 2020 investiture votes.[6][7]

The starting position of Junts and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) in negotiations were the amnesty of all participants in the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, and the possibility of holding a new referendum. Catalan Civil Society (SCC), a group opposed to Catalan independence, called a demonstration for 8 October, in response to a potential amnesty.[8] On 28 October Sánchez discussed the amnesty proposal at a PSOE Federal Committee, as part of government formation negotiations.[9][10]

Timeline[edit]

Preventive demonstrations against the amnesty in Madrid on 24 September 2023 (top) and in Barcelona on 8 October 2023 (bottom)

The People's Party (PP) called their first protest against a possible amnesty for the Catalan pro-independence supporters by Sánchez before Alberto Núñez Feijóo presented himself for investiture.[11] The protest took place in the Plaza de Felipe II in Madrid on the morning of September 24.[12][13] Feijóo was supported by former presidents José María Aznar and Mariano Rajoy, as well as by other PP barons such as Almeida and Ayuso.[11][12][14] A delegation of the government of the Community of Madrid estimated that more than 40,000 people attended the event, while the PP put the number at 60,000. There was no official confirmation of the number who attended. [12][14]

The acting vice-president Yolanda Díaz said about this event that the "proposal of the right wing is to set fire to Catalonia", while the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès, said that the meeting of the PP was "a demonstration of hatred and revenge against Catalonia".[15]

28 October[edit]

Signs of protesters criticising Sánchez and the Catalan independence movement at an SCC demonstration in Barcelona, 8 October 2023

Before negotiations by Sánchez to form a government, SCC called a demonstration in Barcelona against the amnesty proposal.[16] Núñez Feijóo and Isabel Díaz Ayuso, of the PP, attended.[8][16]

29 October[edit]

After the amnesty was announced to be forming part of negotiations to form a Sánchez led government, a protest organised by a group linked to the Vox party took place in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid. According government of Madrid sources, 100,000 people attended.[17][18][19]

Feijóo, took part in a protest in Málaga with the president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno of the PP, 11,000 people attended according to the National Police.[20][21]

3–5 November[edit]

Ferraz street during the demonstrations

On 3–5 November, demonstrations were held at the PSOE headquarters in Calle de Ferraz. The PP distanced itself from these protests but the protests were supported by the Vox party. A thousand people were reported to be at the demonstration.[17][22][23] Although the demonstration had not been communicated to the Government Delegation, the National Police was aware of it.[17][22][24]

Demonstrator with a Spanish morion, a Cross of Burgundy with the double-headed eagle and a sign calling for the "direct election of the Head of Government."

On 4 November, the former president of the Senate of Spain Esperanza Aguirre of the PP called the amnesty to be put to a national referendum.[25][26][27] The same day, PSOE agreed to continue with the agreement with Sumar to form a government and to continue negotiating with the other parliamentary groups.[28] On 5 November, protests were held in Barcelona, Burgos, Córdoba, León, Socuéllamos, Valencia, Vigo and Villareal.[29][30][31]

7 November[edit]

On 7 November, there were demonstrations in Madrid, Barcelona, Badajoz, Valencia, Seville, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Oviedo, Salamanca, Tarragona, Zaragoza, Leon and Murcia.[10]

9 November[edit]

There were protests in front of the PSOE headquarters on Thursday, involving multiple confrontations with the police. Tensions began after protesters threw firecrackers at the police, and there were also reports of flares being thrown during the protest. Some protesters destroyed the fences that were protecting the headquarters of PSOE and there were also people chanting "Puigdemont, to prison", "Let Txapote vote for you", and "Sánchez traitor". The protests were dispersed, with 24 arrests made and 7 police officers injured.[32]

11 November[edit]

There were protests outside of the PSOE headquarters with protesters throwing objects at the police. The police responded with rubber bullets and tear gas against the protesters. When the police began to disperse the protests improvised sit-ins in Marques de Urquijo Street and arrests were made. In total, 9 arrests were made and 3 people were injured.[33]

12 November[edit]

Protests were called for by the PP and Vox and a reported 52 cities held protests, additionally a protest outside of the PSOE headquarters was 1,000 people attended.[34][35] In total, 13 arrests and there were reports of 6 people being injured.[36]

14 November[edit]

There were protests outside of the PSOE headquarters on Calle de Ferraz. Protestors made anti-Sánchez chants to police to join their sides in the protests. Protesters placed 20 inflatable dolls in the front row of the protest. There were also protesters outside of the Congress of Deputies.[37]

15 November[edit]

Variation on the Spanish flag used by some protesters

Protests outside of the PSOE headquarters occurred with protesters carrying the flags of Spain and making anti-Puigdemont chants. There were similar chanting from those of the previous protest.[38]

16 November[edit]

A protest reported to be 4,000 people by DW protesting after Sanchez's re-election. The protesters were reported to have thrown flares and other objects at police, who issued warnings to the protesters.[39]

Noviembre Nacional[edit]

Noviembre Nacional's main flag

A group known as Noviembre Nacional (National November) emerged among the protesters, primarily organized through social media. The movement is characterized as Catholic and nationalist in orientation. The group's stated primary purpose is opposition to the amnesty law. The group are also reported to have dissatisfaction with the role of the Spanish monarchy regarding the current political situation.[40]

The group's reported symbol is a modified Spanish flag with the coat of arms cut out. The main reported symbol of the movement consists of two intertwined letters N (representing Noviembre Nacional), crowned by a Latin cross.[40]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The PSOE reached investiture agreements with ERC and Junts, in addition to the BNG and the PNV.

References[edit]

  1. ^ redaccio (6 November 2023). "El PSOE y Junts retoman las negociaciones para investir a Sánchez". El Triangle (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  2. ^ Díaz, María del Pilar (3 November 2023). "Manifestaciones contra la amnistía en Madrid, Barcelona o Valencia: horario, cuándo y dónde serán". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  3. ^ Esteban, Paloma (29 September 2023). "Feijóo pierde la votación definitiva de su investidura y se abre el tiempo de Sánchez". elperiodicodeespana (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Sánchez necesita el 'sí' de Junts al perder un escaño en Madrid". Diario de Ávila (in Spanish). 28 July 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  5. ^ "El PSOE podrá volver a gobernar si convence a Junts: "Vamos a por ello"". Confidencial Digital (in Spanish). 24 July 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Sesión de investidura: El Congreso tumba la elección de Pedro Sánchez como presidente del Gobierno con 155 votos en contra y 67 abstenciones". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 25 July 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Resultado de la segunda votación de investidura de Pedro Sánchez". elperiodico (in Spanish). 7 January 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Manifestación en Barcelona 8 de octubre | Miles de personas protestan contra la amnistía en la capital catalana". El País (in Spanish). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  9. ^ Marcos, José (28 October 2023). "Sánchez defiende la amnistía en el comité federal del PSOE por "el interés de España y en defensa de la convivencia entre españoles"". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Las manifestaciones en toda España contra la amnistía de Sánchez en imágenes". www.larazon.es (in Spanish). 7 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. ^ a b Junquera, Natalia (24 September 2023). "Feijóo alerta contra la amnistía y pasa por alto su investidura ante 40.000 personas". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Beleña, Sergio; Ramos, Ana Belén (24 September 2023). "Feijóo desborda su acto en Madrid y acusa a Sánchez de promover la "impunidad" del procés". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  13. ^ Jiménez, Por Beatriz (24 September 2023). "Más de 40.000 personas arropan a Feijóo contra la posible amnistía de Sánchez: "Voy a defender España aunque me cueste la presidencia del Gobierno"". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b "La Delegación del Gobierno en Madrid cifra en 40.000 los asistentes a la manifestación del PP contra la amnistía". infobae (in European Spanish). 24 September 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  15. ^ País, El (24 September 2023). "Negociaciones de investidura: 24 de septiembre | Feijóo tacha la amnistía de "indignidad" y "cacicada" ante miles de personas en Madrid". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  16. ^ a b Piñol, Àngels (8 October 2023). "Miles de personas claman en Barcelona contra la amnistía a los encausados del 'procés'". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Pactos y negociaciones para la investidura de Sánchez, 3 de noviembre | Termina la manifestación ultra que ha reunido a cientos de personas frente a Ferraz". El País (in Spanish). 3 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  18. ^ País, El (29 October 2023). "Pactos y negociaciones para la investidura de Sánchez, 29 de octubre | Unas 100.000 personas protestan en Madrid contra la amnistía en una manifestación apoyada por Vox". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  19. ^ SER, Cadena (29 October 2023). "Unas 100.000 personas claman en Madrid contra la amnistía en una manifestación encabezada por Vox: "Supondría un golpe de Sánchez contra el estado de derecho"". cadena SER (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  20. ^ Orellana, Jesús Sánchez (29 October 2023). "Feijóo a Sánchez: "De la necesidad virtud... no, no, no... de tú necesidad un problema para todos los españoles"". cadena SER (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Feijóo avisa de que Sánchez va a arrasar con la "izquierda constitucionalista", "a la que ya no conoce ni la madre que la parió"". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 29 October 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Manifestación en Ferraz contra los pactos de Pedro Sánchez con el independentismo y la ley de amnistía". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 3 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  23. ^ Navarro, Ana Pérez (7 November 2023). "Tres noches de protestas ilegales en Ferraz que molestan al PSOE e incomodan al PP". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Noticias de España | EL MUNDO". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  25. ^ Puentes, Ana (3 November 2023). "Centenares de manifestantes protestan contra la amnistía y el pacto de socialistas e independentistas ante la sede del PSOE". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  26. ^ Lomo, Javier Arias (4 November 2023). "Vuelven a cortar la calle Ferraz por una protesta contra la amnistía frente a la sede del PSOE". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  27. ^ "Esperanza Aguirre lidera una nueva manifestación contra la amnistía, corta el tráfico en Ferraz y pide un referéndum al PSOE". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 4 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  28. ^ "El 87% de la militancia del PSOE ratifica el acuerdo para formar Gobierno en España". www.psoe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Marea de movilizaciones en toda España en contra de las cesiones del Gobierno a los independentistas". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 5 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  30. ^ "Preparan nuevas protestas ante sedes del PSOE mientras un diario socialista intenta amedrentar a los manifestantes". Contando Estrelas (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  31. ^ Santos, Noelia (5 November 2023). "Más de 2.000 manifestantes claman contra la amnistía ante la sede del PSOE de Córdoba". Diario Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  32. ^ "24 detenidos y siete policías nacionales heridos tras las protestas de anoche ante la sede del PSOE". La Cerca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  33. ^ Infobae, Por Newsroom (11 November 2023). "La novena noche de protestas contra el PSOE deja nueve detenidos en Ferraz y una acampada frente al Congreso". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Décima noche de protestas en Ferraz contra la amnistía". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 12 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  35. ^ SER, Cadena (12 November 2023). "Manifestación contra la amnistía en Madrid este domingo: cortes de tráfico y cierre de líneas de metro". cadena SER (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  36. ^ Infobae, Por Newsroom (12 November 2023). "La novena noche de protestas en Ferraz se salda con 13 detenidos y seis heridos de carácter leve". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  37. ^ País, El (14 November 2023). "Investidura de Sánchez, 14 de noviembre | Cientos de manifestantes protestan ante la sede del PSOE en Ferraz en la víspera del debate de investidura de Sánchez". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  38. ^ Lezama, Laura (15 November 2023). "Manifestación en la calle Ferraz de Madrid contra la amnistía: cientos de personas se concentran en la decimotercera jornada". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Más de 4.000 españoles protestan tras reelección de Sánchez – DW – 16/11/2023". dw.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  40. ^ a b Press, Redacción digital Informativos Telecinco, Europa (15 November 2023). "TELECINCO - televisión a la carta, series y entretenimiento". Telecinco (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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