Fines of EUR 400 to one citizen for placing three stickers against the incinerator, EUR 400 for placing a banner against the G7 and EUR 100 to another for meeting without communicating to the institutions. These are just three examples, but a fine has been imposed every three days in Donostia-San Sebastián over the last two years. Citing municipal sources, the promoters of the campaign, Piztu Donostia, have given this information to Donostia citizens. In 2018, 130 fines were imposed and 155 fines were imposed in 2019. In one year, therefore, the rise has been 17%.

"The legal framework for channelling this political repression is double in the city. On the one hand, the Mordaza Law is implemented at the state level and, on the other hand, the Municipal Ordinance Mordaza de Donostia-San Sebastián. Both have the same objective, to prevent social criticism. The Ertzaintza and the Municipal Police are political agents of the Municipal Police of Donostia-San Sebastián," they denounced.

Those "who have filled us with the city of giant advertising" have regretted the imposition of such fines, as actions affecting freedom of expression. In Donostia-San Sebastián, they have denounced that "basic democratic rights are being curtailed" in the city.

They believe that the "Piztu Donostia, mozal hiriko ez" campaign, which will run until mid-February, is a way of ensuring respect for freedom of expression, assembly and mobilization.

The Gaztelumendi brothers have created several coplas related to the topic: "I don't know how to close hangi," Ibon Gaztañazpi explained. They have sung by mouth of Beñat, winner of the Bertsolaris Championship of Gipuzkoa:

Donostia Rights Observatory and Resistance Fund

Along with the Piztu Donostia campaign, popular movements in the city have announced the creation of a Rights Observatory to report fines. It is a group of lawyers and collaborators who will form a database.

A resistance fund has also been set up, intended for those who take advantage of fines and need help in paying them. "It's not just about giving money to those who have been fined and it's over, it's about helping pay the fines that are received, bringing the money forward when necessary, and proposing campaigns to recover as much as possible the advance money." An important recovery campaign will be undertaken for the creation of the Resistance Fund. The first, they call on the workers who do not agree with the strike and cannot go to it. In order to do so, they have been asked to pay them a day's salary and to do so they have informed them that they will be distributing the information shortly.

At a press conference in which they coincided with the general strike called for on 30 January, they presented this campaign as a contribution to this initiative. Citizens are expected to be fined in the preparation, development and future of the general strike, and a protocol has been drafted to sanction how to proceed to it. Available on the web www.piztudonostia.eus. In the coming weeks, the importance of this fact and the form to be filled when a fine is received will be transferred to the social agents of the city.

Call for mobilizations

Four mobilisations have been announced: From 13 to 20 January, all social actors are invited to the celebration of Freedom of Expression Week. "We will not be harassed, we will put posters, banners and all kinds of expressions on the streets," he added. On January 25, they convened a mobilization from Plaza Pius XII to the roundabout of the Municipal Police to denounce "the role that the Municipal Police is playing in this issue of fines". On 1 February, a repressive balance of the general strike will take place before the police station of the Ertzaintza in El Antiguo. Finally, on February 15, they will mobilize from the City Hall of Donostia-San Sebastián to the Court of Egia to demand the repeal of the Mordaza Law and the Mordaza Ordinance.