Notes from the Spanish Revolution

Meet Spain's New Director General de Policia

2012-01-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

It's really strange for us extranjeros how things work here in Spain sometimes. I mean you will often hear us grumbling about the ambivalence of waiters and bartenders, the smoking that still goes on in non-smoking areas especially after dark, and that whole close-the-business-down-from-2pm-to-5pm thing that still surprises us when we forget about it. So figuring out Spanish politics can be as mysterious as a Stephen Hawking documentary to us even on a good day. Therefore, I am not going to draw any conclusions from the things I have dug up in the past couple of days. I'll let you readers, especially the Spaniards tell me what all this means below in the comment section.

In the past couple weeks, the Conservative Popular Party (PP) took the reins of power from the Socialists (PSOE) in what could be described as an electoral drubbing. Mariano Rajoy was sworn in as the new Spanish prime minister on December 21, after 8 years of Socialist Party rule. Mr. Rajoy has been mostly out of sight in his first few weeks in office. However, 3 interesting decisions have already been made. First, the new government decided that the Spanish tear gas reserves needed to be replenished and OKed a 1-million Euro purchase of the chemical weapon used mostly to keep protesters in line. Second, Mr. Rajoy bowed to US pressure and passed the Ley Sinde, which makes its US counterpart SOPA look impotent in comparison. And finally, and you would not even know this from the media or any other source because it was not covered as an important news event, but for an Indignado it is of vital importance -- a new Director General del Cuerpo Nacional de Policia was appointed.

Palencia Congressional diputado, Ignacio Cosidó, was named Director General of the national police force just a few days ago. At his first official meeting with his agents Mr. Cosidó said, "Dedicaré todos mis esfuerzos a la Policía Nacional y a la seguridad de todos los españoles" (I will dedicate all of my efforts towards the National Police and towards the security of all Spaniards). For now, we immigrants and foreigners living, working and traveling in Spain will assume this was a slip of the tongue. Surely Mr. Cosidó meant to say he would be protecting everyone in Spain, regardless of his/her nationality. But then again, after reading over a few of Mr. Cosidó's tweets and Facebook posts the past few weeks, I ask that you pardon me if some doubts remain. I mean, we can forgive the slip-up about forgetting the non-Spaniards in your first speech, and while we agree with this Tweet condemning the killing of Christians, we must ask if it is yet another slip, or do you not care about the killing of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and various other non-Christian religions? And as Director of Police, will you be enforcing the rules and laws the same for people of these religions and communities that you continue to forget?

Also, how is the Director General position chosen? Being from outside Spain, I wonder how it is that a Congressional representative is suddenly named the head of the country's police force? Please tell me that it has nothing to do with kissing up to the new prime minister, for I must confess that these Tweets from back in December are the source of some of my doubts.

Since those messages, and others like them were sent out in the weeks leading up to the change in government, you can see why somebody from abroad might think that this appointment could be a payoff for loyalty or perhaps for a vote. At least Mr. Cosidó has promised to look after the security of all Spaniards, and we assume that means from the right and left. However, this tweet makes me think that perhaps the new Director of Police could be biased in this regard? Or do you also hope that the right does not fall for the "temptation of violence", but simply forgot to say it?

We Indignados sincerely hope that the police under Mr. Cosidó stop falling for the temptation of violence at once! While the Director of the National Police most likely exerts little control over the municipal and regional forces, Mr. Cosidó could use his influence to stop attacks by the Police on peaceful protesters, such as the one that occurred at the Cabalgata Indignada in Madrid on December 28, when the Madrid Police charged into, and clubbed peaceful protesters in the Puerta Acala, or the chasing down and assault by Spanish Riot Police on a female protester and cameraman in Madrid just a few months ago (brutally graphic video below).

In this time of crisis, we all need to make do with less. This includes not only the residents of Spain, but also the government. Billions in cuts have already been announced, and billions more are are on the way. So what are the thoughts of the newly appointed Director General de Policia on these cuts, and what does he think of the ubiquitous chant heard throughout the streets of Spanish cities these days, "Menos policia, mas educacion!" These tweets lead me to believe that the people of Spain will have to bear the burden of the billions of Euros in recortes that are coming, and forget about the Spanish Police taking part in the austerity.

Really? With billions in cuts coming to almost every program and region in Spain, the Director General de Polica thinks there are not enough police? This may be the one time that Mr. Rajoy and his lackey are right. Think about it. Germany and France are already grumbling about how deficit spending is going to be 8+% instead of the 6% that the PSOE ridiculously maintained. They want more cuts. And since Mr. Rajoy has already made Spain kowtow to the demands of the American ambassador with the SINDE law, is there any doubt at all as to whether he will be doing the same when the EU asks for more?

The Indignados will not take that lying down. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, 1 million Euros in tear gas and a few thousand more police might not be enough.

Wise Man Detained at Racist Immigration Checkpoint in Spain

2012-01-04T04:39:00.000-08:00

Spanish speaking children around the world are in for a bit of disappointment it seems this Navidad. In a lighthearted communique from the Leganes Assembly in Madrid, King Balthasar is rumored to have been arrested at one of the hundreds of racist immigration Police checkpoints that have popped up all over Madrid during the past couple years, in which the Police demand documents from anyone and everyone that looks, acts, or speaks just a little differently from the norm. I am not sure if Balthasar was responsible for bringing the gold, frankincense, or myrrh to the Baby Jesus, but I do know that many a Spanish speaking niño y niña will be shedding tears this year after finding empty shoes in their living rooms -- pobrecitos! Sorry niños, perhaps the remnants of racism still left over from the days of Francisco Franco still prevalent in the Spanish police force will be eliminated by next Christmas. Enjoy the translation!

KING BALTHASAR DETAINED AT RACIST CHECKPOINT

The Wise Man Balthasar was detained this morning at 10:30 at a racist checkpoint at the regional train station in Leganés (Madrid).

After asking for his documentation and confirming that he was carrying nothing more than gifts, the police immediately hauled him off to the local precinct, from which he soon after was moved to the CIE (Center for Detainment of Foreigners) in Aluche. Here he will have to stay for 60 days until his order of expulsion to his country of origin has been approved.

According to an official statement by the Spanish authorities, the King's "irregular" situation in Spain, and the fact that he was carrying merchandise of dubious origin (frankincense and myrrh), and the fact that he was seen "stumbling" through the streets, paves the way for executing the expulsion order early, perhaps in the next few weeks.

The other two Magi, Gaspar and Melchior, who were with King Balthasar at the time of his arrest, avoided problems with the police by acting as witnesses to the detention, and perhaps aided by the fact that they were not asked for their documentation due to their "more European look."

This is becoming an every day occurrence in Spain -- with more and more detentions in which people are identified, stopped, and detained, solely based upon certain "physical characteristics."

For several years now, these practices have been denounced by several collectives and associations because they consider these checkpoints to be illegitimate and illegal, according to various articles in the Spanish Constitution (Art. 14: right to liberty and privacy) and other diverse treaties and international agreements signed by the Spanish Government (Report from the UN Committee on Human Rights 2009, etc.)

On another note, we must also denounce the existence of "Spanish Guantanamos," known here as CIEs (Center for the Detainment of Foreigners), where people are held until their expulsion, due to papers not being in order, or perhaps due to not having papers at all because of an administrative error (and no crime has been committed) such as not paying a traffic fine. For several years now, the Foreigner Detainment Centers have systematically violated the human rights of the detainees (beatings, psychological humiliation, denial of medical care, overcrowding, etc.) while the authorities and Media in Spain have remained silent. In a recent European Parliamentary Report, the Spanish Foreigner Detainment Centers were listed among Europe's worst.

We remind readers that just this past month of December, Congolese citizen Samba M. passed away, and currently our own Leganes neighbor Youssou S. has spent several weeks in detention at the Foreigner Detainment Center in Aluche. According to the Juzgado de Instrucción número 6 dictó en auto from December 20 concerning the situation at the Aluche detainment center, "the death is not surprising due to the current situation at the Center where there are completely inadequate quarters...., such that it is not surprising at all from the point of view of this Technician, that infectious diseases such as meningitis can easily run rampant in this facility."

The report also states that "there isn't even an infirmary, where sick detainees can be isolated from the healthy," and the report ended with, "it has been ordered that detainees be allowed to relieve themselves during the night," however to this day, the Center still does not permit nocturnal bathroom visits.

From the Assembly in Leganes, we will defend the rights of every individual looking for an inviolable dignified future for himself/herself and his/her family. Just like young Spaniards who go abroad in search of a better future, migrant populations in Spain have the right to progress, work and a dignified life.

Read Original Version in Spanish Here (Leer version original en Espanol)

A Message From Spanish Police and Media to the Masses

2012-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

For those of you who read my post from 9 days ago titled "A New Indignado", I intended to write a "New Indignado Part II." I wanted to tell the story of my frustration after 9 days, the fact that nobody apart from my closest friends and the Indignados themselves would even listen to me, and the fact that even my own embassy seems uninterested in my case. But after letting a week and a half pass and engaging in exercises of relaxation and meditation in a futile attempt to dampen my indignation, I believe I am now ready to talk about the Elephant in the Room.

My brother advised me to try to connect my stories, videos and anecdotes of this new blog to larger social issues. And so, following his advice, I would like to put my case behind me (not that I am not interested to know if the 4 men dressed in black on December 22 who accosted and insulted me in Tirso de Molina were actual cops) and move on to something much more important -- and that is this:

If you are not member of the exclusive 1% club, then the police, the media, and yes even your own government do not give one iota of a FUCK about you....

THE POLICE

Wow, that feels good getting that off my chest! Perhaps it was bit fuerte as they say here in Spain, but absolutely true I must believe after my frightening experience. Let us start with the Madrid Police, shall we? Now let me remind everyone that 9 days ago, my brother and I were surrounded, accosted and insulted by 4 men claiming to be officers of the law. To this day, we still have no idea if these men were actually policemen. Nobody, and I mean nobody here in Madrid, will listen to my complaints. I have gone to a comisaria and tried to place a denuncia or at least get some help, and I was shuffled out the door. I have written about my story (in English no less) and more than 14,000 Spaniards have read it and commented on it, yet not one police officer has contacted me, and the Chief of Police who I spoke to refused to take my declaration.

Madrid Police, please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the message you are communicating is this.

"Dear immigrants and foreigners in Madrid: FUCK YOU! We do not give a FUCK about you! We will insult you with impunity simply because we do not like you, because we do not like your politics, language or religion; or perhaps because we do not like what you are carrying on your person. Oh yeah, and be forewarned that if you complain about this, not ONE FUCKING PERSON in the police or government will care. This shit happens all the time, and that's why we get away with it every day. So FUCK OFF and toe the line or suffer the consequences."

Did I get that about right? (Disclaimer, if someone in the Madrid Police is actually investigating my claim, if there is some officer in Spanish IA, or some angel among the Cuerpo de Policia who is actually trying to do the right thing, please forgive my histrionics.)

THE MEDIA

Where do I start? This could easily be its own blog post, or even another blog altogether, but following my brother's advice about larger social issues, I beg you, please allow me the opportunity to connect the dots. I have the fortune to count among my friends a fantastic journalist from "El Pais" named Jose Maria Irujo. We go way back, I have taught English to him and his family for the better part of the past decade. A few days before my brother and I were terrorized by 4 undercover Madrid Police officers back on December 22, we had the opportunity to have lunch at his home with him and his family. The conversation was "lively" to say the least, and after many heated exchanges, we agreed to meet up again over the holidays to continue the talk. My contention (and my brother's) was that the Media in Spain (and all over the world) were too busy making money and following the lead of their masters to report real news. Yes, "El Pais" is probably Spain's best newspaper, infinitely better than say "El Mundo", which still thinks it important to remind us every few issues that perhaps ETA was behind the attacks that left hundreds of Madrileños dead back in 2004, but still not what I would consider a "serious" newspaper (don't fret Jose Maria, I wouldn't call any of the major papers "serious" either.)

My journalist friend found it very difficult to separate my criticism of his employer, from that of his writing. The former I find a joke, the latter absolutely fantastic, yet each time I criticized his paper and the kind of "news" that it reports, he took it personally. It even came to the point when he asked if we thought he was stupid, as only a stupid person would write for a newspaper that manipulated the news, told stories only to make money, attract readers, fan the flames of controversy, and pick on the enemy of the day. (No, we don't think that you are stupid. We think you should be proud of your writing, it is some of the best reporting in Spain that we have read, and furthermore, we think that "El Pais" and other major media outlets in Spain should be ashamed of themselves.) Just like when I criticize the Madrid Police, I am criticizing the institution and the culture of impunity that exists within it, not the officers who carry out their duties in a professional way day in and day out under very difficult circumstances. So let me be perfectly clear here: there are often great and responsible individuals in any institution, but that does not make the institution itself (in this case, the police and media) free from criticism of how it operates.

And with that little conversation in mind, I contacted my enchufe in the Spanish press and decided to put his and my contentions to the test.

Before I continue, allow me to compare and contrast. If you take a glance at the past 6 or 7 stories that my good friend Mr. Irujo has published for "El Pais", you will find some interesting things. Let me describe 3 of them to illustrate my point.

From back at the beginning of October we had ....

¿Hay policías islamistas?

From November 12 we had ....

La música es la flauta de Satán

And from November 27....

Expedientados los padres de la niña del 'burka' por abandono escolar

Ok, so 3 stories, one about whether or not the Spanish Police is made up of agents who actually reflect the population of Spain. We wait with breathless anticipation for the follow up stories on whether or not there are homosexuals, wife beaters, alcoholics, Opus Dei members, those who yearn for the return of Franco, etc. in the Police. I mean why stop at Islamists? Or do I really need to ask this question?

Another story is about a family whose religious beliefs forbid certain school subjects that are prevalent in Spanish schools? Again, we wait for part II on the Christian Amish in my state of Indiana who cannot even use electricity, mobile phones or drive a car due to their religious beliefs. Or the Christian Evangelicals all over the world who are forbidden to learn traditional folk dancing. But, they are not Muslim, so I'm not so sure if "El Pais" would be interested.

And finally the Granddaddy of them all, the teenage girl who wants to dress differently from her classmates -- a story that takes place in every high school in every town around the world. Wow! Please send me your expose on the boy who wants a mohawk, the Goth girl, and those crazy kids in my country who think they are vampires. But really, "El Pais" is not going to tell us about them, because they aren't Muslim, and demonizing Muslims is what sells papers nowadays, right? And these anti-Muslim (anti-immigrant, anti-Indignado) stories create a certain type of readership who return to the kioskos again and again for more of the same diet of hate.

So, I put my computer in front of Mr. Irujo and let him read my post "A New Indignado." He was interested. Of course, he could not report on it as I was a friend and a member of the family, but he would pass me on to a hungry young gun who would get the word out. Finally! Somebody was going to listen to me. I told my story, and heard nothing back, not an email, not a phone call, not even a thanks-a-lot-but-we-are-not-interested. A few days later, my friend Mr. Irujo called me with some "interesting" news. Interesting to me, I must say, because "El Pais" did not find it interesting at all.

Here is a script of our telephone conversation, as I remember it. I have embellished certain things because I did not record it, because I am working from memory, and because I fully recognize that my blog posts "spin" the news (as do any media). The meat and bones (the gist) of the conversation is as written.

JMI: Richard, I'm sorry. I spoke to some of the guys at "El Pais." They just aren't interested in your story.

RS: Well, that doesn't surprise me. I told you that the Spanish Media were not interested in reporting real news. Thanks for trying.

JMI: It's not that it isn't a terrible thing that happened to you. It just isn't news. My editor told me that this kind of stuff goes on all over Spain hundreds of times every day. It's not anything worth mentioning.

RS: Really, you mean to tell me that foreigners and immigrants are stopped, searched, forbidden to call their attorneys, insulted with the most disgusting language possible, and then laughed off by the officers and a Police Chief when they ask for identification or some kind of an explanation, and this happens every day hundreds of times all over Spain, and that is not newsworthy?

JMI: Your story is not newsworthy.

RS: I am no longer interested in my story. I agree with you, mine is a non-story compared to what you have just told me. Let me get this straight, all that stuff I just said about cops and foreigners goes on every day hundreds of times all over Spain, and that is NOT news.

JMI: That's not what I said.....

etc. etc. etc. etc.

The conversation went on for half an hour, and even a call back. Voices were raised, regretful things were said (I know I regret some of the things I said, and I hope you forgive me Jose Maria), but the conversation went nowhere. In the end, "El Pais", through my good friend Jose Maria Irujo, confirmed my contention that:

If you are not member of the exclusive 1% club, then the police, the media, and yes even your own government do not give one iota of a FUCK about you....

So readers, let me end my post with this thought. Spain's leading newspaper openly admits to the fact that immigrants are regularly treated abysmally and illegally by the police, that there is absolutely no recourse whatsoever for the marginalized as the Police can, will, and do refuse to ID themselves, and that the buddy-buddy backscratching system means they can do this without any fear of repercussions whatsoever, is not news. In fact, this is so ingrained in Spanish society that it is considered normal. I guess the tourism slogan is true after all -- "Spain is Different!"

A New Indignado!

2011-12-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

On Thursday December 22, 2011 in the Tirso de Molina neighborhood of Madrid, Spain, I was stopped, accused, searched, insulted and to my mind threatened by four undercover members of the Madrid police force, simply due to their perceived notions of my political beliefs. I have filed a denuncia (official complaint) against this deed, but as the officers basically refused to identify themselves, I was unable to file against them individually.

Let me begin by saying that until this early morning just after midnight, never did I consider myself an Indignado. I am hardly young. I work. I have many things for which to be thankful, things that the Spanish youth graduating from universities today see as an impossibility to attain. However, I have been sympathetic to the movement because of a strong feeling of injustice coming from a system that offers young Spaniards few opportunities, and yet seems deaf and sometimes outright combative when these disenchanted young people have the courage to speak out. I admired the Indignados. I filmed the Indignados. However, I have done little actual protesting. That has all changed in the past 24 hours. I am officially indignant, and feeling a bit ashamed that it has taken me this long. Now my story....

Last night I met with my brother around 19:30 in the Puerta del Sol to take some pictures and videos of a couple of protests -- one in support of the victims of Francisco Franco's Fascist regime, and another in support of the Madrid #15M Movement. Here are a couple of my pics from the protests....

After spending a half hour taking photos, we decided to head towards the Tirso de Molina area nearby to get a bite to eat. We walked through the plaza itself and about a block away our problems began. My brother was smoking his last cigarette when we were accosted from behind by a man dressed in black who was trying to speak to us. My brother does not speak Spanish and is visiting Madrid as a tourist, but I was able to ascertain that the man was telling us that he was the Police. I spoke to him in Spanish and explained that my brother did not understand him, and asked what he wanted. He said that we had been smoking a porro (a marijuana or hashish cigarette) and he wanted to speak to us. I immediately demanded to see his badge which he showed me, and I quickly realized that 3 other men dressed in black had surrounded us and were showing us their badges too.

Was I nervous? Not in the least. My brother had been smoking tobacco, and I was carrying only a phone, abono (subway pass), keys, camera, flashlight and a few things I had bought that day. Unfortunately for me, those few things included 2 "V for Vendetta" masks, and 2 canisters of pepper spray that I had bought just minutes before in a self-defense shop in Sol. Both of these objects are perfectly legal in Madrid, but don't think that stopped one of these officers from taking exception. Here is a photo of the LEGAL items (masks, flashlight, spray) that were in my possession at the time.....

First, I asked if I could call my lawyer and the officers said no, I had only one option and that was submit to a search, which I did. I also asked permission to film the search. Since they were accusing us using illegal drugs, I wanted to be able to prove beyond any doubt that we were carrying nothing illegal. They said I could not film the search. Upon finding my "V for Vendetta" masks, one police officer went ballistic. After letting out a sarcastic laugh of indignation, he stated that, "estas mascaras son de un movimiento!" (these masks are from a movement!). He asked me why I had the masks in my possession, and I replied that I had purchased them for the Cabalgata Indignada being held on December 28 at 19:00 in the Puerta de Acala, however, the officer seemed skeptical. Here are some photos of where the search took place.....

The same officer asked me what I did for a living here in Madrid and I truthfully answered that I did many things including teaching English. He replied, "pues, tengo una hija y nunca la dejaria hacer clases con un gillipollas como tu" (well, I have a daughter and I would never let her do classes with a dickhead like you).

I was shocked, stunned. Four men with guns have my brother and me against the wall, and one of them is now yelling at me and calling me a dickhead because I am carrying a shopping bag holding a mask from a "movement". I calmly replied, "pues, que pena porque aprenderia mucho, todos mis alumnos estan encantados con mis clases." (well, what a shame because she would learn a lot, all my students love my classes). The officer became enraged, perhaps because he did not like my response. He began yelling in Spanish and his fellow officers got between him and me while he shouted, "por que siempre hay un payaso que tiene que tocarme los cojones?" (why is there always some clown that has to bust my balls?)

Upon considering this complete lack of professionalism from a supposed officer of the law, I began to get a bit scared. The thought entered my mind that no real policeman would insult a person like that simply for carrying a mask. Even if he was against the Indignado movement, it is not his place (and frankly, it is downright Orwellian) to criticize my political beliefs.

The officers continued to berate and insult me, to which I always replied calmly, yet trying my best to show that I would not be intimidated. This did little to calm the situation, and at one point the officer told me to just suppose that he asked me to submit to a drug test, and if I passed it, he would let me go; however if I failed it, he could detain me. I said that would be fine with me, provided I could call my lawyer first, and provided that he advised me that taking a drug test was a good idea. Now the officer who had hurled the vast majority of the insults got directly into my face and said, "sabes lo que te digo, no me gusta tu cara!" (you know what? I don't like your face!) I had absolutely no response for that one, but it made me think even more that this was no police search, but most likely a robbery in progress. Here is the doorway where they made my brother and me place our belongings while we were searched and insulted.....

After a bit of debate amongst themselves, the officers told us to pick up our things and go. I asked if I could take a photo of them, but they said no. I asked if I could photograph their badges and ID cards, but they said no. I asked them to please identify themselves, and they all began saying their names and ID numbers at the same time as they walked away, making it impossible for me to know who they were, or even if they were real police officers. My brother the tourist pleaded with me to let it go, and for his sake, I did just that, but a foul taste in my mouth remained. I walked two blocks before I decided to go back and take photos of the place where it had all happened. After that, I went directly to the Comisaria de Policia on the Calle Huertas to file a denuncia (official complaint).

I was nervous. I was shaking. I was about to press charges against 4 undercover cops in the city where I have lived for more than a decade. But really, need I be afraid? In my 42 years on this planet, I have never received as much as a speeding ticket, let alone been detained, arrested or in any kind of trouble with the authorities whatsoever. I asked to speak with the Jefe (Chief of Police), since I thought filing charges against police officers could prove to be problematic. After about an hour, I was allowed to see the Jefe de Policia in the Comisaria de Retiro on the Calle Huertas. I told him my story, leaving out no detail and he was sympathetic, cordial, extremely amiable, but completely unhelpful. No, I could not place a denuncia because I did not have the names of the people I wanted to denounce. I mentioned that all he had to do was take a look on his computer at who had called in my DNI an hour before, and he would have his man. Unfortunately, he said that as the Huertas Street Comisaria is for the Retiro District, he could not access information about anything that had happened Downtown. He did offer to give me his name and phone number, after I told him that I was afraid that this officer might be coming after me. This did wonders to calm me down, as I was getting nervous about the possibility of an undercover policeman who "hated my face" and thought me a "dickhead" having access to all my data, while I hadn't even a clue as to his identity. Imagine my disappointment, when my calm turned to horror, upon leaving the police station, and discovering The Chief had handed me a piece of paper with no name that said only "Chief of Police in Retiro" and a landline number to the precinct. All this after I had told him that someone claiming to be the police had searched me, insulted me in a threatening way, and then had made little effort to identify themselves, and that I was in fear for my safety. Here is a photo of the piece of paper I was given from the extremely polite Retiro Police Chief......

On my walk home, I was terrified once again. I thought a piece of paper from a Chief would be enough to deter any loose cannon officer with my name and address, but since I had been basically blown off, the thought came to my mind that perhaps this Chief would contact these undercover officers to give them the heads up as to what I was saying and doing. This morning I phoned my lawyer about going to the Downtown Comisaria to place my denuncia, but he recommended that I not go back to the police. So, I went directly to a Spanish Judge at the Juzgado de Guardia (Courts on Duty) to file my complaint. Here are a couple of photos of the denuncia.....

Now some questions I must ask...

Is this behavior normal for the Spanish police?

Were we stopped because we were smoking a cigarette, or because we are immigrants speaking in a language other than Spanish? (Recently, there have been massive police round-ups of illegal immigrants in the Tirso de Molina area). Here are 2 links, one in English and one in Spanish ...

Article in Spanish

Article in English

Did the police do anything illegal? There was no violence or even an actual threat of violence. But to my mind, when four armed men surround two civilians and begin insulting them with the most crude and ugly language possible, is it not reasonable to believe that the pair might be in danger?

If the Spanish police can legally search you with no probable cause and you are not even permitted to phone your lawyer, would it be too much to require the police to hand you a business card with the officer's name and badge number? It can be quite intimidating to request this information, especially when the carrier of the data also carries a pistol and a grudge.

Why were the Police in the Comisaria de Retiro so unwilling to help me? I went in with an allegation of having been searched, denied council, insulted, berated and implicitly threatened by 4 undercover Spanish police officers who were unwilling to identify themselves, and while agreeing with me that it was not only unprofessional but also outrageous behavior, the Police Chief was completely unwilling to take my declaration, call the Chief at the other precinct, or even give me his real name! If the Retiro Chief of Police truly agrees that this kind of behavior is intolerable, why wasn't a real offer to assist me extended, and why was I shuffled out the door with a smile, a cordial farewell and piece of advice to sleep on it before I did anything precipitous?

Why are the police stopping only immigrants and those speaking in languages other than Spanish? The overriding theme in all the articles I have seen on the issue is this, Spanish people are not being stopped. If you are black, Asian, speaking in English or Arabic, or simply not Spanish enough, you are much more likely to be detained, questioned, searched, insulted and persecuted by the Madrid Police, than if you do the "right" thing (look and speak Spanish).

And finally, why in the world would the Police think that the Indignados are the enemy? Despite the fact that these guys are out in the street night after night protesting for YOU (how many cop 1%-ers can there be?), the Madrid Police are against them? How long will it take until the police wake up and realize that they too are being swindled by the real criminals in Spain? And why do you need a "disgusting" "dickhead" whose "face you don't like and would never let near your daughter" to point out the obvious?

Will Spanish Labor Be Joining the Revolution Soon? Don't Count On It.

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Back at the end of September 2010, I had the fortune or misfortune of experiencing my second Huelga General (General Strike) since having moved to Madrid more than a decade before. My first General Strike had been organized back in 2002 to protest reforms to Spanish unemployment subsidies. I witnessed buses being attacked and was even accosted myself because I'd made the mistake of visiting my neighborhood supermarket. When I told my flatmates from the Canary Islands what had happened to me as I'd left the store with groceries in hand, they nodded and explained to me as best they could what the General Strike was all about, and why the people were attacking public transport workers who had chosen to work, and shouting at people who had decided to go shopping.

So in 2010, I was a bit more prepared and certainly more knowledgeable. For 24 hours, organized labor in Spain brought the country mostly to a standstill. It was remarkable for me as an American, because I'd really had no experience to compare it with from back home. Leading the charge were Spain's two biggest unions -- the CC.OO or Comisiones Obreros (Workers Commission) and the UGT or Union General de Trabajadores (General Workers Union). Remarkable I should say for 24 hours, because after that everyone packed up and went home, and Spain's two biggest unions fell right back in line! And so it goes. Do not expect Spanish labor to join up with the Indignados any time soon as the biggest unions in Spain are bought and paid for.

No, I'm serious! I didn't believe it either when I first heard about it from my Canary Island friends in their downtown Madrid apartment all those years ago. The national and regional governments of Spain actually pay (bribe?) the 2 largest Spanish unions each year to the tune of tens of millions of Euros. With unemployment hovering around 20%, the unions had every reason to be out in the streets back in 2010, and now you begin to understand why they didn't stay there. Behind closed doors in some politician's office somewhere in Spain, approval was given for their little 24-hour show of force, as long as they remembered at the end of the day where the sugar was coming from. Organized labor quietly pocketed the money again in 2011, and has kept quiet ever since. Unemployment in Spain is still over 20%. Now, enter the Indignados.

OK, perhaps you don't believe me. Perhaps you are from a country like mine, so you cannot imagine the Teamsters or the United Auto Workers receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies from the US government and the 50 states, just so they won't cause trouble! But I promise you, this is the situation in Spain. I tried to dig up some links and statistics, but the unions and the governments of Spain do not openly brag about their arrangement. This article from the Spanish daily La Razon begins (translation my own)....

According to a resolution from the Ministry of Labor published yesterday in the Official State Bulletin (BOE), the workers' organizations will receive this fiscal year 15,798,500 Euros for "subsidies for syndicates in proportion to their membership for the realization of labor activities". The purpose behind this aid explained the BOE is "to foment financially the realization of any type of labor activity for the purpose of the defense and promotion of the economic and social interests of the workers".

This article from Noticias de Navarra speaks of €26.4 million that the UGT and CCOO received from the regional Navarran government between 2009-2011. And this post on the Andalucian government's web page is about the €31.7 million the two unions received from it in 2011. And this holds true all across Spain. The national and regional governments pay off the 2 largest unions, and organized labor toes the line. Union fat cats and their children enjoy their luxury cars and vacation homes, while Indignados call for a general strike and organized labor is silent. The government is reaping its reward for those tens of millions of Euros spent. This is exactly why the payments were made.

And so a call has gone out for another General Strike in Spain. In fact, if you Google "Huelga General" now, the number 1 hit is for the 2011 General Strike that is currently being organized by the Indignados and a handful of the smaller labor unions in Spain, not the 2010 one. Curiously (or if you have read my post, not so curiously) the CCOO and the UGT have not signed on to support the strike. And so it goes.

Huelga General 2011 Web Page
My Photos from the 2010 Huelga General (Madrid)