Spanish ‘indignant’ protest in Copenhagen

Copenhagen student Alba shows her solidarity with Spanish protesters in Madrid

by Madhura Mukhopadhyay

A student uprising known as Indignados (Spanish for indignant, angry) is taking Spain by storm. Hundreds of protesters have demonstrated against government in the wake of the Spanish economic crisis by camping for days at the city square in Madrid. Similar protests have been going on in other Spanish cities like Barcelona and Valencia.

This Saturday, 28 May, Alba Redo Riveiro, a student of human biology at the University of Copenhagen and other Spanish students will assemble at the central square Rådhuspladen as a show of support for what they call the Spanish ‘revolution’.

The students, all studying at various universities in Copenhagen have formed a group known as the 'Democracia Real Ya Copenhague'. Last week, the group also demonstrated with posters and placards to explain their cause.

Read the manifesto of the group 'Democracia Real Ya Copenhague' here.

Time that Spain changed its policies

Alba, an enthusiastic member of the group, wishes she were in Spain, demonstrating for changes to the way Spain is governed.

»I am standing in protest against closed-list elections (where voters can’t decide which candidate on a list is elected,…ed) and against the dual-party system. This revolution is also against corruption in Spain. All this needs to change,« stresses Alba.

People should realize that if they evade tax, then they will reap fewer benefits in a democracy as there will be less money to create employment and this leads to disgruntled citizens, she explains. Alba holds up countries like Denmark as an example of what she sees as a better tax system.

Inspired by Second World War veteran

The idea of a nationwide ‘indignados’ protest stems from a recently released pamphlet named ‘Indignez-vous’, ‘cry out’, from a 93-year-old man French World War Two resistance hero, Stéphane Hessel. Youth should rise up in protest when there something has gone wrong in the world.

»I'm very proud of Spain. Last week there were 28,000 protesters in the city square in Madrid. From Copenhagen I feel like I'm missing my revolution. I will of course protest from here, but it will not be the same.« explains Alba.

Intent on making a difference, she urges people from all nationalities to attend the protest on Saturday because »there are many things in the world we can fight for and change.« It doesn't need to be only about Spain.

Check out pictures from Spain here.

uni-avis@adm.ku.dk

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