The Marimatraka Feminist Group of Santurtzi appeared on Tuesday afternoon at 19:00 in the Plaza de Santurtzi to denounce that the City of Santurtzi denies both the victims of male violence and those who have left two of it. The place of the appearance was not chosen randomly; on November 25, 2021, the same place was chosen where the commemorative plaque was placed of the women of the people who have suffered machista violence for their exposure to the public, to the return of the stump that in its day was the handle of the plaque, now fenced.

To clarify how the lobby has come to be without plates and fenced, Marimatraka members explained what happened. On November 25, 2021, coinciding with the International Day against Violence against Women, a plaque was placed at the bottom of the park in tribute to the Santurtziarras who have killed Machian violence or who "move all the effects on the bodies or on the heads", "because their lives are important and their deaths too". With this action, the intention was to turn the park and the lobby into a space of memory and homage, understanding that "what is not named does not exist, and what has no place, what is forgotten, is repeated over and over again".

In a few weeks, Marimatraka explains that the City Hall removed the plate. "According to the area of Works and Services, a commemorative plaque to pay tribute to those who are not among us had no place in our country. Shortly afterwards, they told us where we were going to search." After the plaque was recovered, March 8 was used to put it back in the back, between the "applause and nervousness" of the attendees. "Seeing her, because she tender us, she excites us and fascinates us. Because it reminds us of the consequences of living in a patriarchal, capitalist, racist and biocidal system." The plate, however, lasted less than another week at the site that was installed.

Due to the lack of information on the removal of the plaque, the members of Marimatraka requested a meeting of the Equality Service of the City Council with the dual objective of obtaining information about what happened and "remind the Equality Officer to give a space to all the people who have suffered and suffer from male violence and to the historical memory of the municipality". The feminists have pointed out that they emerged from that meeting with a feeling of powerlessness. In fact, the City Hall refused to place the plate. The municipal representatives indicated that the plaque was in the area of Works and Services, and that they could recover it by resorting to it. However, they did not find the plaque on the spot and pledged that the councilman would call them to go and pick it up. However, they did not receive calls and the fenced rocket was found on 8 April. "Everything became even more incomprehensible. The City Hall fences a place to avoid paying tribute to the victims of male violence".

Pretensions of criminalisation

The message to collect the plate is finally received on 11 April. But the city council gave them conditions that they didn't expect: to fulfill an instance. Marimatraka denounces that this condition responds to one objective: to identify, identify and criminalize those who would pick up the plate.

Found in this situation, the feminist group has decided to denounce themselves, the facts and the attitude of the city council. They clearly state that they want the plate and that they are clear about where it is, and that, despite the obstacles, they will continue on the road to achieving it: "Angela Davis told us and we believe. 'We don't accept things we can't change, we change things we can't accept.'

 

 

 

 

Incomprehensible developments

Since Marimatraka, they have stressed that the facts and their evolution are incomprehensible: "In this story there is a word that is constantly repeating: the incomprehensible. It is incomprehensible to remove a plaque that pays tribute to the women assaulted by the city council. It is incomprehensible to refuse to acknowledge the historical debt to all of them and to us. It is incomprehensible that they do not respect the voice of women. It is incomprehensible not to pay tribute to the feminist movement. Incomprehensible kidnapping of a plaque. It is incomprehensible to close a tree to avoid what needs to be fixed. Incomprehensible VI. Prevent the implementation of real feminist policies during the socialization of the Equality Plan. It is incomprehensible that your words should remain only in documents and never be practiced. It is incomprehensible to pursue the feminist movement, as they join the mobilizations of March 8."

Video press conference: