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Spain's indignado protesters face anniversary crackdown Spain's indignado protesters face anniversary crackdown
(about 1 hour later)
Spanish indignado protesters who take to the streets to mark their first anniversary this weekend face potential clashes with police as a new conservative government launches a crackdown on public protest. Spanish indignado demonstrators who take to the streets to mark their first anniversary this weekend face potential clashes with police as a new conservative government launches a crackdown on public protest.
Police will be out in force in Madrid's Puerta del Sol as well in other squares across the country as Mariano Rajoy's government vows to prevent the indignados rebuilding the camps that appeared suddenly last May.Police will be out in force in Madrid's Puerta del Sol as well in other squares across the country as Mariano Rajoy's government vows to prevent the indignados rebuilding the camps that appeared suddenly last May.
Madrid alone will have up to 2,000 anti-riot police watching the protesters and arresting those who try to pitch camp.Madrid alone will have up to 2,000 anti-riot police watching the protesters and arresting those who try to pitch camp.
The indignados have announced 96 continuous hours of protests in the Puerta del Sol from Saturday until Tuesday, but the civil governor has set a limit of 10 hours or less a day for demonstrations.The indignados have announced 96 continuous hours of protests in the Puerta del Sol from Saturday until Tuesday, but the civil governor has set a limit of 10 hours or less a day for demonstrations.
That may mean riot police will be called into the clear the Puerta del Sol every evening – with force potentially being used against the avowedly non-violent movement. That may mean riot police will be called in the clear the Puerta del Sol every evening – with force potentially being used against the avowedly non-violent movement.
"Camps are illegal and so they will not be allowed to happen," the interior minister, Jorge Fernandéz Díaz, warned."Camps are illegal and so they will not be allowed to happen," the interior minister, Jorge Fernandéz Díaz, warned.
Madrid's civil governor, Cristina Cifuentes, has complained that she is unable to communicate directly with a movement that remains largely amorphous and leaderless. Madrid's civil governor, Cristina Cifuentes, has complained that she is unable to communicate directly with a movement that remains largely amorphous and leaderless. "Those who want to meet in the Puerta del Sol have the right to do so … but they cannot get in the way of other citizens or break the law," she said.
"Those who want to meet in the Puerta del Sol have the right to do so … but they cannot get in the way of other citizens or break the law," she said.
Protests will also be seen in Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and other major cities — with authorities banning some of the events proposed by the indignados.Protests will also be seen in Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and other major cities — with authorities banning some of the events proposed by the indignados.
The fresh protests come after a year of further austerity and misery in the Spanish economy – with a return to recession and unemployment among the young rising above 50%. But they also come after Spaniards turned to the political right, in the form of Rajoy's People's party, at elections last November.The fresh protests come after a year of further austerity and misery in the Spanish economy – with a return to recession and unemployment among the young rising above 50%. But they also come after Spaniards turned to the political right, in the form of Rajoy's People's party, at elections last November.
A fierce austerity programme includes cuts to health and education, while reduced public spending is deepening a crisis that saw Spain's fourth biggest bank, Bankia, nationalised on Wednesday.A fierce austerity programme includes cuts to health and education, while reduced public spending is deepening a crisis that saw Spain's fourth biggest bank, Bankia, nationalised on Wednesday.
In the meantime a battle for leadership of the indignado movement, and control of its social network assets, has broken out. In the meantime a battle for leadership of the indignado movement, and control of its social network assets, has broken out. The fight pitches purists, who do not want any formal structure or leadership, against those who complain that the movement's assembly based system is cumbersome and easily blocked by a handful of extremists.
The fight pitches purists, who do not want any formal structure or leadership, against those who complain that the movement's assembly based system is cumbersome and easily blocked by a handful of extremists. The row came to a head last week after part of the key ¡Democracia real Ya! (Dry), or Real Democracy Now, voted to set themselves up as a formal, registered organisation. The group was behind the first camp-out in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, which saw the city centre square occupied by tens of thousands people last May.
The row came to a head last week after part of the key ¡Democracia real Ya! (Dry), or Real Democracy Now, voted to set themselves up as a formal, registered organisation.
The group was behind the first camp-out in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, which saw the city centre square occupied by tens of thousands people last May.
Occupy Wall Street and Occupy London followed the same model, bringing protest to the heart of the world's major financial districts.Occupy Wall Street and Occupy London followed the same model, bringing protest to the heart of the world's major financial districts.
The new Dry leaders, who took the group's Facebook accounts but lost control of numerous Twitter feeds and blogs, claimed they would remain true to the movement's non-party aims.The new Dry leaders, who took the group's Facebook accounts but lost control of numerous Twitter feeds and blogs, claimed they would remain true to the movement's non-party aims.
"We are neither right nor left," they said. "We are the people who are below, and we are after those who are above.""We are neither right nor left," they said. "We are the people who are below, and we are after those who are above."
But they said the free, open assembly system had been hijacked by outsiders.But they said the free, open assembly system had been hijacked by outsiders.
"Some of the people who had joined the group had effectively blocked it," said Fabio Gandara, one of the group's leaders."Some of the people who had joined the group had effectively blocked it," said Fabio Gandara, one of the group's leaders.
A ferocious debate on social networks has seen them accused of betraying the movement.A ferocious debate on social networks has seen them accused of betraying the movement.