The joaldunak and the mythological characters have opened the route on the Autonomy street of the Alavesa capital. Back Definitely. Peace. Solution. A sign of coexistence with the motto and familiar faces that support it, such as journalist Martxelo Otamendi, activist Garazi Hach Embarek, actor Patxi Bisquert, former politician José Luis Elkoro, victim of state violence Ane Muguruza, lawyer Amaia IZKO, or members of Sare. The relatives of the prisoners have also led the demonstration, which was held in the Zarzuela Palace with applause. Behind it, tens of thousands of people. According to the Naiz, who each year has his own story, 67,000 people showed up as those who gathered last year in Bilbao.

Representatives of political parties, trade unions and social movements, as well as representatives of political parties, have also attended the demonstration. Among the Basque parties, EH Bildu, EH Bai, Sortu and EA. For the trade unions, ELA, LAB, ESK, Steilas, Hiru, EHNE, CGT, CNT and Etxalde. At the international level, Junts, Omnium Cultural, ERC, CUP, BNG and month Per Mallorca. Among Basque agents, Bake Bidea, Bilgune Feminista, Egiari Zor, Ernai, Céesku eta Harrera.

Ending the derogation

Azkarraga and Atxa have taken the floor in the City Hall. Atxa has “celebrated” that in 2024 “one of the main legal aberrations that prisoners have had to endure” has been completed, that the years of imprisonment in France for prisoners in the Spanish State have not been taken into account, but that the emergency measures still have to be put to an end, two types of exceptions:

“On the one hand, more than 20 years ago, the emergency measures that were taken at times other than those of Basque society today.” The main challenge in this area is the repeal of Law 7/2003, which established 40 years of imprisonment. “On the other hand, those that are applied daily in prison management. It has to be said that, as far as grade progressions, prison permits and other models of sentencing are concerned, the treatment applied to politically motivated prisoners is discriminatory with regard to what other prisoners receive.”

The Sare citizens' network has stressed that it does not call for any special treatment for prisoners: “We are not asking for any privilege, but for the implementation of the ordinary prison policy, without exceptions, without discrimination, without depending on the political situation. We ask for the same treatment and criteria as other prisoners.”

Memory and self-criticism

“It is the time for peace, much more than non-violence,” Atxa said, and has called for the “right” to build coexistence “among all”. To this end, it has called for a "collective" exercise of self-criticism and memory, criticised the attitude of those in this area who only place duties on prisoners, and asked the State to take steps as well.

This is something we “owe to past generations. But above all, we have to leave future generations with a better society than the one we receive from our predecessors,” Sare said.

“We will bring them home”

At the event, singer and activist Lluis Llach sang Txoriak by Mikel Laboa with the guitar of Gorka Knor, and Inés Osinaga has put the final brooch with the play Dena da.

Despite the obstacles, Atxa is optimistic: “We will bring them home to all, together with exiles and deportees. Let's move forward. We are going through the stages. Certainly, slower than we would like, but let’s go well.”