Fiestas de San Fermín: "We don't want to step back, we want to stay in the middle"
- The Sanferminak platform denounces that the obstacles imposed by the City of Pamplona force people to celebrate popular festivities in a precarious way, but they send a message to the City Hall: “We are here, we are not on the shores.”
“We continue to live in resistance, building popular Sanfermines in the face of the capitalist holiday model and the political marginalization reinforced by UPN,” said Irati Lizarbe, a member of the Sanfermines Peoples’ platform at their appearance in Laba. To keep popular festivities alive, on July 10 they organized a full day program in Andramari Plaza de O.
There will be a “giant” meal and the musical groups Hofe, Morea Alarm and The Titanans will act. They announce that the menu for food will be totally vegetable, because they want to create parties without oppression. “Non-human animals also deserve a free and dignified life.”
Since 2015, the txosnas have been in the Plaza de Santa María de O and in the Plaza de Recoletas, known as Plaza de los Barachos, in Pamplona. Last year the City of Pamplona told them that they were going to return to Errotazar, that is, to the Rochapea district. This year the City Hall has offered the agents of Pamplona the possibility of placing ten bars of Errotazar, but Paula García, member of the platform, explains that they do not see reasonable: “Besides the place, they ask us for bail and have placed great limitations to put music.”
"Last year we said we were blooming among all the stones set by UPN on the road. This year we say that we are collecting these stones and building the Pamplona of all"
Therefore, like last year, its location in the old town has been prioritized: “We don’t want to step back, we want to stay in the middle, always taking into account the obstacles and inconvenience that we can bring to the neighbors.” Therefore, the concerts will end at 10 p.m. to ensure the rest of the neighbors.
“Last year we said we were blooming among all the stones set by UPN on the road. This year we say that we are collecting these stones and building the Pamplona of all,” explained Lizarbe. Therefore, the obstacles are intended to continue to extend the values of the popular Sanfermines: “We will continue to build a plural, colorful and free house in which everyone and everyone can fit.” Peoples Sanfermines claim a holiday model with seven main axes: popular, participatory, feminists, ecologists, Basques, anti-capitalist and plural.
They denounce that the obstacles of the City of Pamplona make it necessary to celebrate feasts in a precarious situation: “We cannot normalize this dynamic.” They therefore encourage citizens to participate and send a message to the City Hall: “We are here, we are not on the shores.”
Finally, they remember that we need to care for and respect each other and that sexist, racist or LGTB+fobos attacks will not be allowed. “Despite being a programme day, every day we will spread among all the demands of the popular Sanfermines,” said García.
