- The activist couple has denounced that several institutions have risen to the roof and "take advantage" of the International Day of the Basque Country "to make us a white face". The Constitutions of France and Spain have described them as “supremacists and exclusioners for the Basques”, since in the century of these two states it is “impossible” to live in Basque.
Two members of the Euskal Herrian Euskaraz group have risen to the roof of the Baiona Court and have called for “justice” in a painting that “puts justice for the Basque and the Basque people”. The activists, Gorka Torre Roca and Intza Gurrutxaga, have carried out the activity on Basque Day. The French police have arrested him, taken to police station and identified other members of the organization after the end of the act of tribute. Both activists have been released this afternoon.
On the roof, several institutions have stated that the International Day of the Basque Country "takes advantage of the white face" and have called for justice "because for the Basques in the current framework there is no justice" for the Basque and for the Basques. With this action, the group denounces that the French Constitution is “and, therefore, supremacist and exclusionary legislation for Basques and Basques”. The couple explained that in Hego Euskal Herria, influenced by the Spanish Constitution, "the same thing happens" and that now "it becomes even more evident with the judicial, political and media offensive".
EHE has stressed the need for a Republic of the Basque Country, which under two states “considers it impossible” to live in Basque, “deny us the right to live in Basque in many areas of life”, he said. Above all, the group has stressed the importance of collective attitudes of input and has called for the national demonstration organized on 7 December in Durango, “on the road to the construction of the Basque Republic”.
Convicted twice for acts in favour of the Basque Country
The French police have already arrested Torre Roca for his acts of disobedience in favour of the Basque Country in collaboration with EHE and the Herribiltza group. On the two occasions when he has been tried in the Baiona Court, the judge has refused to participate in the trial.
In September 2023 Torre Roca had his first judgment for some painted in favor of the Basque. He was sentenced to one month in prison with restoration and to pay a fine of EUR 500 for the moral damage suffered in Spain. In September of this year he was tried again, accused of painting in the subprefecture of Baiona and of withdrawing several signs written in French.
The EHE group of Nafarroa Beherea announced in October that Torre Roca will not pay the fines imposed by the Baiona Court.