Tuesday, June 21, 2005

More from Barcelona

Kind of busy weekend. On Saturday I went to the concentration pro-gay marriage in Barcelona. It was actually an anti-Partido Popular/anti-Church concentration, since PP and the priests demonstrated in Madrid (where else?) calling for a ban on gay marriages, which have recently been legalised in Spain by the socialist government. Last week the PP also demonstrated against the return to Catalonia of Catalan republicans' personal documents, which had been confiscated by Franco's army as a war prize. And they also took the streets to oppose future conversations with ETA, even if they offered to give up violence ('no surrender to the ETA...'). Funny the same people who last year mocked and despised anti-war demonstrators are now marching on the streets nearly every day. And pretty scary too, the PP hasn't softened a bit after Aznar, they're as full of hatred and prejudice as ever. But this hardline could also be interpreted as a sign of desperation, since PP and the Church have lost touch with the rest of the world (as I'm writing this, PP is on the brink of losing the absolute majority in the Galicia elections, held on Sunday).
Yesterday I popped in the Anarchist Bookfair, which, at least when I visited, was a small affair. Mainly a few collectives selling their publications. A few interesting books, but a bit skint at the moment, so I just bought papers! The workshops and video sessions in mid-week were very successful and well attended (so I've been told). By the way, does anybody know when and where is the London Anarchist Bookfair taking place this year?

6 comments:

John said...

Priests demonstrating? Unheard of. They wouldn't get away with it in Ireland.

In Bunuel's autobiography, he recalls a report from an anarchist newspaper during the Civil War which began,

"Two comrades were walking down the street when, on the other side of the road, two priests approached in their vestments. Given this provocation . . . "

Whatever happened to the good old days?


p.s. I'll check out the London dates for you.

John said...

22nd October.

Details here:

http://freespace.virgin.net/anarchist.bookfair/

Martin said...

Useful tip. Cockney rhyming slang for "skint" - Borassic (borassic lint).

John said...

As in, "Fifty quid for the complete works of Bakunin? You're 'avin a larf, intcha? I'm completely b'rassic, mate."

Jose said...

There were actually bishops demonstrating.
I hope the next time a case of pederasty committed by priests is revealed, bishops will also get to the streets to protest against child abuse. I'm sure they will.

jordi said...

Thanks for the info re. anarchist bookfair in London, John. I'd like to go, if I'm not too busy or too borassic...