After a floral offering and a tribute at Plaza 3 de Marzo de Zaramaga, the demonstration went out at 12:00 in the streets of Vitoria-Gasteiz, towards the center. Thousands and thousands of citizens, most of them Vitorians, but also from other parts of the Basque Country.

March 3 is probably the most plural manifestation in Gasteiz, year after year, both by age and ideologically, and has been one more example of it: children’s carts, the elderly, youth organizations, pensioners, banners in favor of Palestine or the workers of the companies in struggle... The demonstration has taken the road smoothly until it reaches the English Street Court, the “police who forget more”.

Demonstration by the aggression of the Ertzaintza

At the level of the English Court, as every year, there has been a great Ertzaintza device, and when a significant part of the demonstration had already passed through, the Ertzaintza has placed a brutal burden. There have been conflicts between several demonstrators and Ertzainas, citizens of all ages have had to run and the demonstration has been divided into two. The incidents have lasted for several minutes. The demonstrators who have not been leaving gradually have been meeting in the Plaza de los Fueros to hear the final act.

The Ertzaintza arrests four people at the time of the incidents and several wounded. The Askatasuna collective has denounced that the police have subsequently arrested a fifth person at the Lakua police station, following aggression against the young people who have approached to claim the freedom of the detainees.

“Wild loads”

The unions ELA, LAB, ESK and Steilas and the association 3 March have called a demonstration to denounce the behavior of the Ertzaintza.

In front of the English Court, the Ertzaintza has set up a “disproportionate device”: “At this point absolutely savage burdens have been done, not only with pores and dozens of foam balls, but also with police furgons against protesters”. They report that one of the vans has passed over a young man, who has stung his foot and has been treated by the ambulance, that there have been “ten” wounded and that one of them has lost consciousness. According to the note, the Ertzaintza has also tried to load into the Plaza de los Fueros where the event of the end of the demonstration was held, but the organization has avoided it.

They stress that the Ertzaintza has used foam balls "a few weeks after a police charge has seriously injured a young man in Tolosa". The trade unions and the association 3 March call for clarification of responsibilities and for the release of detainees. They ask the Ertzaintza to let citizens remember March 3 “without being assaulted.”

Rubber balls

So Bedi has published that one of the foam launchers has injured a woman in her mouth about 60 years old. For his part, journalist Gedar and the organisation of activities have denounced that the Ertzaintza has also used illegal rubber balls. Aske organises a rally for Monday under the motto Solidarity with detainees.

The Ertzaintza publishes a note on this. “The detainees belonged to a group of islanders and against the police forces of the established security device begin to throw bottles, cobblestones and other strong objects. Consequently, seven Ertzainas have been wounded.” The Department of Security confirms that it has arrested four people in the incidents and accused them of public disorder and attack authority. The Ertzaintza has released the detainees on Sunday afternoon on the charges mentioned.

Remembering the deaths of yesterday and today

At the closing event the organizers paid tribute to the 1976 workers’ struggle, emphasizing the participation of women. They have also recalled the dead, both from Vitoria and from other places and times: Pedro María Martínez Ocio, Francisco Aznar Clemente, Romualdo Barroso Chaparro, José Castillo García and Welcome Moral Pilgrimage, killed in the context of the 1936 war, Gorka Urbizu has sung the thousands of Palestinians and Wonders live.