- During the festivities of the Old Port of Algorta, a woman approached the members of the feminist movement to ask for help, indicating that she was stung. They activated the protocol of intervention in response to attacks, so they contacted the emergency services and the Ertzaintza. The feminist movement denounces that the Ertzaintza prevented her from being with the woman. Meanwhile, the Ertzaintza accuses the two members of the feminist movement who assisted women of interfering in their work. Charged with a serious crime of disobedience, the Police denounces two women. They are called to testify on 3 November. The feminist movement has called for mobilizations that day.
On 3 November, two members of the Algorta Feminist Movement must testify before the Getxo Court. In fact, the Ertzaintza has denounced the events of the festivities of the Old Port of Algorta, in which a 16-year-old woman was allegedly punctured in the early morning of August 15, accusing the two women that the Ertzaintza has denounced obstructing her transfer to the ambulance. Disobedience is charged with a serious crime.
The Feminist Movement of Algorta calls for two mobilizations on Wednesday. A concentration before the courts will be held at 09:00 in solidarity with the members invited to testify. At 19:00 a demonstration will be held from Telletxe.
Different stories of facts
The members of the feminist movement have surprised the accusations because they were the first to care for women and activated the protocol against aggression. A few days after receiving the facts, the Feminist Movement of Algorta noted that they had only followed the protocol in the multitudinous hearing on August 17.
According to the feminist movement's explanations, the woman who received the puncture approached for help and was moved to a safe and peaceful environment. They called 112 to ask him to come up with an ambulance. From 112, the call to the Ertzaintza was addressed and the members of the feminist movement, after explaining the situation to the relevant police officer, coordinated the following steps. First, because the ambulance could not reach the place where the woman was attacked, it was agreed that a member of the feminist movement would accompany the ambulance, along with the Ertzaintza. In parallel, the Festival Commission of the Old Port was informed of what happened and as soon as it was known that the assaulted girl was a minor, they called their parents to explain what happened and assure them to inform them of the next steps. All the steps were taken with her, with her approval.
The situation got worse when they were heading for the ambulance. At that time, about five men appeared, supposedly on the street – although only one agent identified himself – with a member of the Festival Commission. They went to the ambulance leaving behind the companions who attended her and worked her confidence. “No-one ever hindered, even though at the time police action was considered totally inadequate,” the feminist movement explained.
The two companions who cared for the girl promised to be by her side and her mother. So, once the police prevented the displacement with the affected, they decided to go to the ambulance. The two Ertzaines identified that they were in it and told them they were going to report.
On 16 August the Ertzaintza, by public note, made the following statements: “The agents insisted that the victim was waiting for an ambulance to be taken to the hospital, but both of those responsible continued to obstruct police work and prevented the Ertzaintza from accompanying the girl to the ambulance area.”
The Feminist Movement stated from the outset that it would not accept “to defocus the spotlight and to defy and put in the background a social evil that is male violence”, which will respond strongly to “any political strategy of criminalization and development of the feminist movement”. They reported that they will continue to be uncomfortable for those who want to "sustain and maintain the capitalist system" and "build a feminist Basque Country without chauvinist aggressions".