The Spanish National Court acquitted a young man accused of “extorting terrorism” for painting on the street ‘Gora ETA’. On 19 July he was arrested in Ermua and the case was made available to the National Court. The Court records the case and notes that freedom of expression must be prioritised and that terrorism is not praised in that painting.

To determine whether the young person can be charged for causing damage to public property, the National Court has referred the case to local courts. Judge María Tardon has pointed out that in these cases there is a “conflict” between the crime of the exaltation of terrorism and freedom of expression. However, he insists that freedom of expression is “one of the hallmarks of democratic society”, which should prevail in case of doubt.