A controversial new law the Spanish senate had
voted has caused a global uproar about the status of freedom of expression in
the country. Today, Spanish public security laws crack down on protests by
implementing stricter guidelines about when and where gatherings and protests
could commence and fining officers with illegal protests.
The legislation includes fines of €600 if they
fail to notify authorities about their demonstrations in public areas. The
fines could reach up to €30,000 that could cause “serious disturbances of
public safety” near parliament or Spanish government buildings. It could also
reach €600,000 if it disrupts nuclear power plants, refineries and
telecommunications operations.
Greenpeace, charged with an illegal protest in
a nuclear power plant in Valencia, spoke out against the legislation.
“It’s our right to express our opinion, to march to parliament,
to go to nuclear power plants to say that they are dangerous or unfurl a banner
on a building or street,” said Miguel Ángel Soto of the group.
According to The Platform in Defence of Freedom of Expression
Virginia Perez, the legislation is unnecessary.
“This is one of the worst attacks on liberties that we’ve seen
in Spain since the times of
Franco,” she said.
