anti-austerity movement in spain Anti-Austerity-Movement-in-Spain | Page 5

3.2
June 2011 5
May 22 taken down on Sunday, 29 May, as had previously been
stated. [79]
3.1.7
Just after 2:00 p.m. on election day, the indignados (out-
raged) that had gathered at Puerta del Sol announced
that they had voted to stay at least another week, until
noon on 29 May. [69] Early analysis of the nationwide elec-
tions, won by the People’s Party, suggested the protest
movement could have contributed to losses for the ruling
PSOE, [70] and to increased numbers of spoilt or blank
votes, which reached record levels. [71]
3.1.8
The clearing of the Barcelona camp was broadcast live by
two Spanish television channels, including Antena 3, and
was also widely dispersed through social networks such
as Twitter. [80][81]
The Catalan ombudsman opened an investigation into the
incident to check if police action was disproportionate
and violated citizens’ rights. [82]
24 May
In Murcia about 80 people gained access to the headquar-
ters of the television channel 7 Región de Murcia, avoid-
ing security staff, in order to read a manifesto denouncing
media manipulation. [72] Likewise, some 30 people gained
unobstructed entry to the Tarragona office of the Ministry
of Economy and Finance and shouted slogans against the
political and economic systems, before moving to several
financial sites in the city centre to do the same. [73]
3.1.9
25 May
In Málaga, the Ministry of Defence decided to relocate
various activities for Armed Forces Day, including the
King’s visit, planned for Friday 27. Protesters had already
been occupying the Plaza de la Constitución, where the
events were scheduled to take place, for eight days. [74]
3.1.10
27 May
At approximately 7 a.m. on 27 May, a more serious inci-
dent occurred when the city council of Barcelona decided
to send 350 police officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra
and roughly 100 more from the Guàrdia Urbana to tem-
porarily vacate Plaça de Catalunya so that it could be
cleaned ahead of the Champions League final on 28 May,
in which FC Barcelona were playing against Manchester
United. [75][76] The resulting violent clash ended in 121
light injuries and provoked new calls to protest in all
squares still occupied across Spain. [75][77] The majority
of those injured suffered bruises and open wounds caused
by police officers’ truncheons; one protester left with a
broken arm. [77] The protesters who had been vacated re-
turned to the square by early afternoon. [78]
Similar incidents also occurred in Lleida and Sabadell,
where Mossos d'Esquadra officers dismantled the
protesters’ encampments. [75] According to police figures,
more than 12,000 people gathered in Barcelona through
the course of the day, angry about the earlier actions of
the police and painting their hands white and carrying
flowers as symbols of protest. They demanded, among
other things, the resignation of the head of the Mossos
d'Esquadra, Felip Puig. They also claimed that, follow-
ing the incident, the encampment likely would not be
“Hear the wrath of the people,” Puerta del Sol, Sunday morning,
29 May
3.2 June 2011
3.2.1 2 June
At least 40 people gathered in Montcada i Reixac,
Barcelona. They prevented court officials from serving a
family with the order to leave their home immediately and
protested against banks repossessing people’s homes. [83]
3.2.2 4 June
Representatives from 53 assemblies around Spain gath-
ered in a mass assembly in Puerta del Sol. [83]
3.2.3 8 June
In Madrid, hundreds of people gathered in front of the
Congreso de los Diputados, with a police barrier pre-