Departing from Plaza Unamuno in Bilbao, the cry for the liberation of these animals was transferred to the Casa Consistorial. Almost all the way through the rains, but time did not manage to silence the cries of protest against the partism of the current capitalist system. The trail of oppression against non-human animals is much stronger than the biggest storm, and hundreds of citizens confirmed their commitment to fight it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The demonstration began at 17:00 hours, but members of anti-specialist groups participated from noon in the atmosphere of the Casco Viejo bilbaíno. The anti-specialists arrived by bus went to the Old Party accompanied by music. One of the buses launched demonstrators from Hendaia, Donostia-San Sebastián and Ermua; the other from Vitoria-Gasteiz and Iruña/Pamplona. The program started with a vegetable pintxos tasting and then, at 15:00 hours, they moved to gaztetxe Zazpi Katu. There I was waiting for them a sweet chocolate and a cake. In addition, the musician Peru Galley offered a concert. All of them gathered together headed together to Unamuno Square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there the demonstration broke out. After walking the streets of the Casco Viejo, the protesters went out to the street in front of the Arriaga, and from the Plaza Circular they finally took the road to the City Hall. The slogans heard throughout the tour made it clear that the protest was intended to highlight the political character of anti-specism and to put at the centre the oppression of human animals. The demonstrators called for the release of animals and strongly denounced the degree of oppression that the specific capitalist system exerts on them.

In the end, Maialen Sagües, spokesman for the collective Nor, took the floor: “We have no way but to become entrepreneurs. It is not enough to leave non-human animals out of our plate; it is not enough to proclaim parties without bulls. It is not enough to ask for more vegetable options in our bars. We must adopt a clear and active attitude against specialism in order to reverse the current model of society. Ours is not a personal choice; ours is a political struggle aimed at liberation. It's not about vegans having a lot of opportunities to eat; it's about accepting once and for all that animals are not food but human, recognizing that they're not resources, recognizing that they're not ours. The capitalist system is making use of our struggle in its favour and wants to silence us with its plant products. But it’s not going to get it, because it’s clear to us that vegan capitalism is not going to destroy specism,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sagües also highlighted the importance of network and care: “We have to move forward hand-in-hand, because human beings cannot be free as we tread on non-human animals. From our smallness, by holding our hands and taking care of each other, we must build a world that makes us free of human beings and other animals. That's where we are. Step by step, towards the freedom of these animals.”

Despite the rain, the anti-specionists of the Basque Country are on their way.