SPAIN: Migrant protests violently crushed
01 January 2002
With the enforcement of the EU migration regime in southern European countries, particularly Spain and Italy, has come increased resistance from migrant communities as well as activists (see Statewatch vol 11 no 1). Whilst in Bologna, Italy, hundreds of people have stormed a detention centre and dismantled it, Spain has seen a series of hunger-strikes by undocumented migrants in protest against the new aliens legislation which has introduced rules that make it almost impossible for them to receive papers (see Statewatch vol 10 no 1). After migrant protests in Almería and demonstrations by activists in Malaga against the forced deportation of some of the protestors from Almería, one activist himself is now facing a deportation order.
Police violence against protests
On 22 January around 100 undocumented migrants, most of them Moroccans, set up a camp in the southern Spanish city of Almería to demand papers to be able to live and work in Spain with legal rights. The migrants had been waiting for over two years for a decision on their regularisation. One day later, police violently broke up the camp with tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring 20 migrants and arresting 31 on the grounds of "resisting orders". On 24 January, eight of them were transferred to the immigration detention centre in Malaga (CIE plz. Capuchinos) for immediate deportation.
That same day, the groups Ninguna Persona es Ilegal (Malaga) (No one is illegal) and MPPE (Movement against Poverty, Unemployment and Social Exclusion) started a camp in front of the detention centre in protest at the deportation orders and hindered vehicles leaving the premises. The camp lasted until 29 January, when the police evicted the occupants to allow the deportation of 23 immigrants from the centre, some of whom are believed to be from Almería. Ninguna Persona es Ilegal had called on the public to protest against the inhumane detention and deportation practices and called a demonstration after their eviction at which there was a strong media presence. Some of the activists chained themselves to the doors of the detention centre.
With their second eviction, after most journalists had left, police started attacking people, in particular two of the protestors. Nico and Kepa were arrested and taken to the detention centre where they were allegedly badly beaten by 8-10 policemen. A lawyer, who happened to be in the detention centre witnessed the attack and tried to intervene, but was herself forcefully removed from the premises. Shortly afterwards, an ambulance arrived to take the two to hospital. Nico and Kepa were held for two days and Nico was subjected to racist abuse and threatened by the police. Meanwhile, the Moroccan detainees were deported from Spain.
Television and newspapers showed images of the police brutality but the Spanish police claimed that Nico and Kepa had been arrested on grounds of public order violations and violent assaults on the police. The lawyer who witnessed the police brutality as well as Ninguna Persona es Ilegal and MPPE have now initiated legal proceedings against the police (who had earlier initiated legal proceedings against both groups, on the grounds of causing public disorder and refusing to follow orders).
Deportation of migrants - deportation of activists
On 1 February, Nico received a deportation order which was dated 9 February, although the appeal hearing was set for 15 February. This deportation is in contravention to free movement provisions laid down in the Treaty of the European Communities, amended by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, but apparently the Spanish authorities are exploiting a legal loophole: regional government representatives in Spain have the power to deport foreigners without a legal conviction against them. Although there is a chance of a judicial review these proceedings do not involve the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.
The conflicts in Malaga and Almería have received nationwi