Catalonia

[Steve Maskery]

I don't have a TV, but I have just seen some video footage from yesterday.
What on earth are they doing? People were getting beaten up, kicked, pulled by the hair, hit with batons, all by the Police. They were not being aggressive, totally passive.
How can that happen in a civilised country in 2017?
https://www.facebook.com/Islayr/posts/10159454251045397

 

[lurker]

Really?

I seem to remember something very similar happening in this so called civilised country a few years back quite close to you, during the miners strikes.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The miners were attempting to overthrow an elected government, not trying for independence for their towns and villages.

Anywwwwaaaaay .......the thread is bound to get political, and therefore locked.

 

[Droogs]

The madrid government hasw done itself no favours giving the national police such harsh enforcement instructions. The vast majority of those voting did so peacefully and without violence. In some areas the local police even acted as shields for the voters to keep them seperate from the national police. The turnout admittedly was below 50%, in the main I think due to fears in voters that what happened would and kept them away. Even so 90% of those who voted voted out.
The Madrid government has stated it is null and void as even if it were not illegal under their laws, not enough people voted and any decleration of independence wouldn't count , which is ironic as they are in power following a similar turnout in the national election and a lower portion of that vote gained. The are hypocrites but then aren't all politicians?

Just for those who think I'm a Scot's nationalist, I voted in the referendums held here to remain with both unions, but I am now rapidly coming to the view that the best way would be for all the various groupings in Europe to have local autonomy/independence with a greater more cohesive EU upper level. IE for the EU to be a federal unity, now that's something I never thought I would say

vencedor de la gent

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I gather that Catalonia is one of the most prosperous regions of Spain, so the Spanish government probably feels it can't afford the loss. If Catalonia went, it would also increase the demand from the Basques for separation, too.

There seems a disconnect between popular desire for government closer to people, and the EU's gradual morphing into a super-state. Maybe if the EU changed course into a free trade area with close co-operation between independent nation states on matters of mutual interest, it would have a future. Can't see that happening at the moment, though, so I suspect the EU's days are numbered.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You mean a bit like a "Common Market"? :lol:

 

[Droogs]

snigger :twisted:

 

[lurker]

Well one thing is for sure:

What happened yesterday has slammed the stable door on wee Jimmys plans for Scotland to remain in the EU after the rest of us have washed it's hands of Drunker and his mates.

 

[Inoffthered]

The scary thing is that there has been no condemnation by the EU of the spanish governments tactics...you can see now why Juncker wants an EU army, not to guard against external threats but to suppress regions and populations that are not "on message".

 

[themackay]

I think this has just shown the Eu up for what it is

 

[pickledegg]

Terrible scenes yesterday, I can't help but feel Spain have just cemented very real reasons for people to be pro-independence (or at the very least anti-Madrid) now. People with the scars to remember it all by.

 

[finneyb]

I went on a walking holiday in Spain, a couple of years ago, and the guide was a Spanish Civil war buff - very interesting , but it must have been horrendous and the video of Catalonia to me fitted with her descriptions.

Brian

 

[thetyreman]

this is exactly why I don't protest, it is dangerous, I would rather make stuff instead out of wood.

 

[Inoffthered]

I see the EU has now issued a statement condemning the Catalan referendum as being "a nationalistic coup against the interests of Europe".
I wonder if this is how the EU viewed the recent Scottish referendum?