Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
15-M: A Guiri's Perspective
Lots has been made of the protests in Greece and the Arab world, but a civil disobedience movement has been growing in Spain that has largely been ignored by the mainstream media. UK activist Peter Apps interviews Renny Jackson about his involvement in the 15-M movement.
Speaking personally, how, when and why did you get involved in the protests?
I’ve been involved in the protests since the day the movement has taken its name, the 15th May. It was the first big protest in Spain since the largely insignificant general strike organized by the unions on the 29th September 2010. I guess the main reason I’ve been involved is because so many of my friends here are part of the 40% of 18-30 year olds who are officially unemployed, and a huge number of people such as myself work on the black market with no contract or social security. Unlike a much more regulated system in Britain, here it is common for people to work cash in hand. The increasing problem is that in Spain you are not entitled to unemployment benefit unless you can prove you’ve been in employment and paid tax. I’ve seen first hand the depression unemployment creates and the increased dependency on family units (if you’re lucky enough to have parents who can afford to support you). Unemployment has definitely been the driving force behind most people’s participation in the protests.
Other than attending the protests, I’ve been participating in and listening to the Asambleas Populares. Very similar to what’s happening in Greece, people have been organising public meetings where anyone can take turns to speak on the mic and present ideas which are frequently voted on. It’s participative democracy in what for me has been an empowering and stimulating political experience.
What kind of activism had you been involved in before you went to Spain?
Well I’ve been involved in protests, street campaigning and petitioning in Birmingham and then later in London since I was 14. The most significant activism for me personally was taking part in the national university occupations triggered by the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in December 2008. What was particularly satisfying for me was that one of the occupation’s demands was for Queen Mary University to divest shares in arms companies through the implementation of a more rigorous ethical investment policy. This has since been followed through, and certainly gives me hope and optimism that direct action is clearly effective.
Politically, how is the Spanish situation different from that in the UK?
I think to answer this question properly you need to grasp the historical and economic differences between the two countries. In my opinion, politics in Spain is much more emotionally charged then in Britain because of the Spanish Civil War. For example, a recent biographical entry for Franco in a new book published by the Real Academia provoked outrage because it described his regime as ‘authoritarian’, and conveniently failed to mention he was a totalitarian dictator. I think there is almost a secret sense of shame concerning the past; perhaps because now that Spain has adopted a more European identity, people don’t want to admit that a dictatorship existed here in very recent history. The collective trauma that goes unrecognised can then suddenly explode into political debate and stimulate discussion in a way I have never seen in Britain.
The other key difference is quite simply the dire economic and employment situation in Spain, which has led to thousands of people occupying town squares as part of a sustained protest. One of the beauties for me about Spain is the history of political anarchism here, which means that it is much more socially acceptable to express complete disillusionment with the established order and not feel in complete isolation.
What has your involvement in the protests consisted of?
I’ve spent many hours attending the public meetings and sometimes camping out in one of the main squares in Seville where people maintained a 24 hour occupation for several weeks. Obviously as a foreigner I was a bit shy to voice my opinion in the meetings, but I got into it and found it a great release and opportunity to express my opinions and meet other activists. The highlight was one meeting at four o’clock in the morning with about 40 people in a square all gathered round in an intimate circle, with people highlighting our need to look beyond conventional left-right political divides and search for a genuine shift in direction. I’ve been trying to spread the message at gigs I’ve done here and to friends back home as well through online networking. People mentioned they were getting more news from my posts then news sites in the UK, just one example of how poorly covered this movement has been in mainstream media.
Who makes up the activist community out there? Is it similar to that in the UK, in your experience?
The activists I’ve met here range from post-graduate students, squatters, retired farm laborers to people I’ve met from small independent trade unions. I think the key group in 15-M has been unemployed graduates, particularly with law and/or politics degrees, where there are large numbers of well informed and highly qualified people with no means of exercising their knowledge other than through direct action. One key group, Democracia Real Ya, in particular have a large contingent of activists who are law graduates and legal experts, which has enabled the protest movement to take a more cohesive political form other than simply an expression of mass discontent. There is a danger in this as well though, as the potential for people to spend hours of valuable time running through beurocratic mine fields is self-evident. Again, perhaps this is indicative of people who want political reform rather than genuine revolution. I would reiterate though that the support for the movement is certainly widespread, and encompasses people from many different social backgrounds and ages, contrary to media depiction of a bunch of spoilt middle-class wasters. In my experience, the activist community here is probably more diverse socially then the people I have met in England, and definitely places more emphasis on pressure groups and legal challenges than what I’m aware of back home.
What do you think has given the protests in Spain such momentum? Could this happen in the UK?
Unemployment, unemployment, unemployment. I think the physical proximity to North Africa has probably had some influence as well, as people have taken a lead from the ‘Arab Spring’. I think it’s crucial not to draw too much of a parallel though, as the political differences between Spain and countries such as Tunisia or Egypt are vast. A lot of people here have been inspired by Iceland, in particular the legal proceedings that have been taken out against former politicians and bankers who are deemed responsible for the Icelandic banking crisis. For the time being I don’t think the UK is in the same bracket as Spain in terms of unemployment, but if there was even a small increase then this might well change. Politics is perhaps not part of people’s blood in the same way it is here, but it is abundantly obvious that if unemployment rises in an over-qualified work force, and the so called opposition is led by such a bland figure as Ed Milliband, Britain could see more mass protests. It’s a bit cold though to meet outside at four in the morning in Brum mind.
How have the protests been policed? Are tactics similar to those used by British police? Which do you find most aggressive?
Very badly. The worst examples have occurred in Barcelona. Firstly protestors were evicted from a square for ‘hygiene reasons’ (note the fascistic undertones of this justification) in an extremely violent fashion by the anti-disturbance forces who wore no identity numbers. In a classic example of Orwellian doublespeak, the police set about ‘upholding order’ by beating up peaceful protestors, some of whom were in wheelchairs. Needless to say these tactics only served to draw more people to the marches in solidarity with those who were victims of the truncheons’ blows.
The major riots which occurred in Barcelona, where politicians had to be air-lifted to and from the Catalonian parliament, were at least in part provoked by undercover police acting as protestors throwing missiles at police vans. Video evidence shows a group of ‘protestors’ being aggressive with police; when they are reprimanded by genuine peaceful protestors, the ‘secretas’ as they are known huddle together and do not respond. A disgruntled crowd gathers, before the undercover cops’ uniformed colleagues arrive to whisk them away to safety. The peaceful methods that have clearly marked this civil protest movement are therefore being jeopardized by the police themselves, thus taking significant public support away from 15-M and distracting attention from the horrendous public spending cuts that regional and national government are implementing. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if police do or have used these sort of tactics in Britain, but I think on the whole the police are probably more accountable there than here. In terms of aggression, the riot police in Barcelona certainly have a more violent reputation than their counterparts in London for example.
Why do you feel the situation in Spain has seen such little discussion in the media?
I think it’s probably because events here are being overshadowed by those in Greece and the Arab world, although I think they form part of the same phenomenon occurring in the furthest corners of Europe, the ill famed PIGS. Also, the mainstream media has no interest whatsoever in giving voice to people who are rejecting the centre parties and political structure as a whole. For me it was almost criminal to see a street protest with thousands and thousands of people present and not one single mainstream TV news crew present to report. To quote the recently deceased Gil Scott Heron, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’.
What do you see as the future for Spain? How long do you plan to stay there?
I see it with equal brightness and darkness. On the one hand, I think people involved with this movement have seen a renewed sense of optimism and strength in finding an effective collective voice without recourse to any political party or large trade union. The sense of frustration I felt here, particularly in Andalucia, last winter was overwhelming so the very least that the present and future holds is a reawakening and reaffirmation of a new and potentially revolutionary political identity. On the other hand, I simply don’t see any significant improvement on the unemployment situation here within the next five years. The Eurozone financial crisis is only going to make matters worse.
The vitally important positive we can take away from all this is though is that the protest movement is creating a community, and the support network that this creates could be crucial for our future well being. If governments fail to provide people with their basic subsistence in this capitalist model, the grass roots community is already growing in confidence and capability, which could be the only real answer to meeting our long-term survival needs.
I’m planning on staying here in Spain for at least another year or two, and looking forward to forming part of this growing movement. The next key date in the calendar is an international protest called for October 29th, and I encourage anyone reading this to pay attention to this date, get out onto the street and express their voice.
Speaking personally, how, when and why did you get involved in the protests?
I’ve been involved in the protests since the day the movement has taken its name, the 15th May. It was the first big protest in Spain since the largely insignificant general strike organized by the unions on the 29th September 2010. I guess the main reason I’ve been involved is because so many of my friends here are part of the 40% of 18-30 year olds who are officially unemployed, and a huge number of people such as myself work on the black market with no contract or social security. Unlike a much more regulated system in Britain, here it is common for people to work cash in hand. The increasing problem is that in Spain you are not entitled to unemployment benefit unless you can prove you’ve been in employment and paid tax. I’ve seen first hand the depression unemployment creates and the increased dependency on family units (if you’re lucky enough to have parents who can afford to support you). Unemployment has definitely been the driving force behind most people’s participation in the protests.
Other than attending the protests, I’ve been participating in and listening to the Asambleas Populares. Very similar to what’s happening in Greece, people have been organising public meetings where anyone can take turns to speak on the mic and present ideas which are frequently voted on. It’s participative democracy in what for me has been an empowering and stimulating political experience.
What kind of activism had you been involved in before you went to Spain?
Well I’ve been involved in protests, street campaigning and petitioning in Birmingham and then later in London since I was 14. The most significant activism for me personally was taking part in the national university occupations triggered by the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in December 2008. What was particularly satisfying for me was that one of the occupation’s demands was for Queen Mary University to divest shares in arms companies through the implementation of a more rigorous ethical investment policy. This has since been followed through, and certainly gives me hope and optimism that direct action is clearly effective.
Politically, how is the Spanish situation different from that in the UK?
I think to answer this question properly you need to grasp the historical and economic differences between the two countries. In my opinion, politics in Spain is much more emotionally charged then in Britain because of the Spanish Civil War. For example, a recent biographical entry for Franco in a new book published by the Real Academia provoked outrage because it described his regime as ‘authoritarian’, and conveniently failed to mention he was a totalitarian dictator. I think there is almost a secret sense of shame concerning the past; perhaps because now that Spain has adopted a more European identity, people don’t want to admit that a dictatorship existed here in very recent history. The collective trauma that goes unrecognised can then suddenly explode into political debate and stimulate discussion in a way I have never seen in Britain.
The other key difference is quite simply the dire economic and employment situation in Spain, which has led to thousands of people occupying town squares as part of a sustained protest. One of the beauties for me about Spain is the history of political anarchism here, which means that it is much more socially acceptable to express complete disillusionment with the established order and not feel in complete isolation.
What has your involvement in the protests consisted of?
I’ve spent many hours attending the public meetings and sometimes camping out in one of the main squares in Seville where people maintained a 24 hour occupation for several weeks. Obviously as a foreigner I was a bit shy to voice my opinion in the meetings, but I got into it and found it a great release and opportunity to express my opinions and meet other activists. The highlight was one meeting at four o’clock in the morning with about 40 people in a square all gathered round in an intimate circle, with people highlighting our need to look beyond conventional left-right political divides and search for a genuine shift in direction. I’ve been trying to spread the message at gigs I’ve done here and to friends back home as well through online networking. People mentioned they were getting more news from my posts then news sites in the UK, just one example of how poorly covered this movement has been in mainstream media.
Who makes up the activist community out there? Is it similar to that in the UK, in your experience?
The activists I’ve met here range from post-graduate students, squatters, retired farm laborers to people I’ve met from small independent trade unions. I think the key group in 15-M has been unemployed graduates, particularly with law and/or politics degrees, where there are large numbers of well informed and highly qualified people with no means of exercising their knowledge other than through direct action. One key group, Democracia Real Ya, in particular have a large contingent of activists who are law graduates and legal experts, which has enabled the protest movement to take a more cohesive political form other than simply an expression of mass discontent. There is a danger in this as well though, as the potential for people to spend hours of valuable time running through beurocratic mine fields is self-evident. Again, perhaps this is indicative of people who want political reform rather than genuine revolution. I would reiterate though that the support for the movement is certainly widespread, and encompasses people from many different social backgrounds and ages, contrary to media depiction of a bunch of spoilt middle-class wasters. In my experience, the activist community here is probably more diverse socially then the people I have met in England, and definitely places more emphasis on pressure groups and legal challenges than what I’m aware of back home.
What do you think has given the protests in Spain such momentum? Could this happen in the UK?
Unemployment, unemployment, unemployment. I think the physical proximity to North Africa has probably had some influence as well, as people have taken a lead from the ‘Arab Spring’. I think it’s crucial not to draw too much of a parallel though, as the political differences between Spain and countries such as Tunisia or Egypt are vast. A lot of people here have been inspired by Iceland, in particular the legal proceedings that have been taken out against former politicians and bankers who are deemed responsible for the Icelandic banking crisis. For the time being I don’t think the UK is in the same bracket as Spain in terms of unemployment, but if there was even a small increase then this might well change. Politics is perhaps not part of people’s blood in the same way it is here, but it is abundantly obvious that if unemployment rises in an over-qualified work force, and the so called opposition is led by such a bland figure as Ed Milliband, Britain could see more mass protests. It’s a bit cold though to meet outside at four in the morning in Brum mind.
How have the protests been policed? Are tactics similar to those used by British police? Which do you find most aggressive?
Very badly. The worst examples have occurred in Barcelona. Firstly protestors were evicted from a square for ‘hygiene reasons’ (note the fascistic undertones of this justification) in an extremely violent fashion by the anti-disturbance forces who wore no identity numbers. In a classic example of Orwellian doublespeak, the police set about ‘upholding order’ by beating up peaceful protestors, some of whom were in wheelchairs. Needless to say these tactics only served to draw more people to the marches in solidarity with those who were victims of the truncheons’ blows.
The major riots which occurred in Barcelona, where politicians had to be air-lifted to and from the Catalonian parliament, were at least in part provoked by undercover police acting as protestors throwing missiles at police vans. Video evidence shows a group of ‘protestors’ being aggressive with police; when they are reprimanded by genuine peaceful protestors, the ‘secretas’ as they are known huddle together and do not respond. A disgruntled crowd gathers, before the undercover cops’ uniformed colleagues arrive to whisk them away to safety. The peaceful methods that have clearly marked this civil protest movement are therefore being jeopardized by the police themselves, thus taking significant public support away from 15-M and distracting attention from the horrendous public spending cuts that regional and national government are implementing. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if police do or have used these sort of tactics in Britain, but I think on the whole the police are probably more accountable there than here. In terms of aggression, the riot police in Barcelona certainly have a more violent reputation than their counterparts in London for example.
Why do you feel the situation in Spain has seen such little discussion in the media?
I think it’s probably because events here are being overshadowed by those in Greece and the Arab world, although I think they form part of the same phenomenon occurring in the furthest corners of Europe, the ill famed PIGS. Also, the mainstream media has no interest whatsoever in giving voice to people who are rejecting the centre parties and political structure as a whole. For me it was almost criminal to see a street protest with thousands and thousands of people present and not one single mainstream TV news crew present to report. To quote the recently deceased Gil Scott Heron, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’.
What do you see as the future for Spain? How long do you plan to stay there?
I see it with equal brightness and darkness. On the one hand, I think people involved with this movement have seen a renewed sense of optimism and strength in finding an effective collective voice without recourse to any political party or large trade union. The sense of frustration I felt here, particularly in Andalucia, last winter was overwhelming so the very least that the present and future holds is a reawakening and reaffirmation of a new and potentially revolutionary political identity. On the other hand, I simply don’t see any significant improvement on the unemployment situation here within the next five years. The Eurozone financial crisis is only going to make matters worse.
The vitally important positive we can take away from all this is though is that the protest movement is creating a community, and the support network that this creates could be crucial for our future well being. If governments fail to provide people with their basic subsistence in this capitalist model, the grass roots community is already growing in confidence and capability, which could be the only real answer to meeting our long-term survival needs.
I’m planning on staying here in Spain for at least another year or two, and looking forward to forming part of this growing movement. The next key date in the calendar is an international protest called for October 29th, and I encourage anyone reading this to pay attention to this date, get out onto the street and express their voice.
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