Peter Gelderloos and Xavier Mazas framed for "urban guerrilla" attack that never happened, charged by Barcelona police with "public disorder with explosives," which has a minimum sentence of 3 years imprisonment and a maximum of 6 years. A tiny, friendly squatters protest ended with a firework being shot off to spread flyers in the air. Police attacked the protest, called the firework a mortar, and pressured bystanders to claim they had been injured. The two were arrested, and Peter, a US citizen, is also faced with deportation proceedings and a 7 year ban from Europe, with Spanish police fabricating an entry date to claim he was in the country illegally. The police also drained movement resources by placing an unprecedented 30,000 euro bail.
On April 23rd, Virginia activist and writer Peter Gelderloos was arrested by Spanish police at a demonstration on Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Peter was acting as a witness for the arrest of Xavier Mazas, when he was detained by police under suspicion of setting off a petardo - a firework used to scatter flyers into the air. Police accused Peter of being a "terrorist" and the two are being charged with illegal demonstration and public disorder, the latter carrying a prison sentence of between six and three years because it was allegedly committed with explosives. On April 25th, Javier was released pending trial, and Peter was given a 30,000 euro bail and sent to Modelo prison. Local community activists raised the bail in only two days and
Peter was released. However, Peter must remain in Spain, checking in at court every two weeks until his court date which could take up to two years. The government also initiated deportation proceedings against Peter, along with a 7 year ban from Europe, on falsified grounds, while suppressing evidence that he had a legal status in Spain. If they succeed, this would separate Peter from several close friends.
This is not the first such case of someone being framed by the Barcelona police. As agents of a violent process of gentrification that is remaking the city of Barcelona, the police have frequently falsely arrested, beaten, and tortured immigrants, squatters, and anarchists. Amnesty International repeatedly cites the Spanish police for torture, and even the abuse-blind European Union commission cites them for systematically violating speedy-trial rights.
Spain's economy is dependent on tourism and thus on their public image. Solidarity actions give hope to a movement facing repression and let the repressive government know there are consequences for their attacks. On June 26, friends in the US organized a call-in day to let the Spanish Emabassy know that Peter has a large base of support in the U.S. who will not sit silent while the Government of Spain attempts to push these charges against
Peter. Continued pressure on the Embassy or protests discouraging tourism or spreading information about the repression of anarchist and squatters movements in Spain will help. After a small wave of international attention caused in part by these protests and media work in the US, the Barcelona police toned down their exaggerated rhetoric, whereas initially in court they had tried to describe Peter and Xavier as terrorists.
Support is needed from U.S. based activists to pressure the Spanish Embassy to let them know this injustice will not be tolerated.
Please spread the word and encourage others to call, email and fax!
Peter Gelderloos is an activist and author from Virginia. Whenever he is allowed to be in the good ole US, he is active supporting prisoners and participating in the movement for prison abolition. He works with groups such as Copwatch, Anarchist Black Cross, Food Not Bombs, and the local infoshop. He has written a number of articles and pamphlets, and two books, How Nonviolence Protects the State, and Consensus: A New Handbook for Political, Environmental, and Social Groups.
For information on other Spanish political prisoners see presosalacalle.net and www.325collective.com/prisons.html
