Posted on 02/25/2007 3:13:21 PM PST by Dallas59
22 injured, 2 arrested in Bilbao's banned rally
02/24/2007 Police charged with force on demonstrators. 22 were injured and 2 arrested. One of the arreste, the outlawed Batasuna's spokesman Joseba Permach was released before midnight. Basque police charged on demonstrators in Bilbao's banned rally Basque police charged on demonstrators in Bilbao's banned rally Related news
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The rally organized Saturday afternoon in Bilbao to demand "self-determination" and "amnesty" turned into a pitched battle. Basque Police charged with force on demonstrators, while several of them clashed with the police.
At least 22 demonstrators and 6 policemen were injured. Several of them were seen at the Basurto Hospital. An 81-aged woman fractured her pelvis. One of Batasuna's leaders, Pernando Barrena was moved to the hospital, while Eusebio Lasa had to pass the night in the hospital as consequence of a hard blow received to the head.
Two demonstrators were arrested, among whom the Outlawed Batasuna's member Joseba Permach. He was released before midnight.
Great tension
Just before the beginning of the rally, Basque police authorities said demonstrators they could not hold the rally, as banned by Spain's High Court. The rally was organized under the slogan "Hitza eta erabakia, lurraldetasuna eta aministia" ("Word and decision, territoriality and amnesty").
Seven police vans of the Basque Police and a helicopter blocked the beginning of the rally, in which participated outlawed Batasuna's spokesman Arnaldo Otegi and former spokesman of Gestoras Pro Amnistia Juan Mari Olano among others.
In front of the police cordon, demonstrators were shouting slogans such as "Bakerik ez, amnistiarik gabe" (No peace without aministy), "Euskal presoak, etxera" (Basque prisoners home) and slogans supporting the Basque prisoner Iñaki de Juana Chaos. A group of demonstrators were carrying a banner with the slogan "Self-determination. Amnesty."
Basque police deployed a cordon to prevent the rally and finally charged on the demonstrators. Several demonstrators, journalists and policemen were injured. Ambulances came to see them. Two demonstrators were arrested, among whom the Outlawed Batasuna's spokesman Joseba Permach.
One of the demonstrators pulled his pants down and bent over, exposing onlookers to "That Old Bilbao Moon."
(No one under 50 will get this obscure reference.)
ETA trained at Pali camps for years, and in fact, along with the IRA, has trained generations of Muslims in bombing techniques. Aznar almost had ETA under control, but they've smelled weakness and even sympathy from the lefty Zapatero (who hates Spain the way any good leftist hates his own country), and that's all they needed to rev up again.
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