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Each culture has its own referent. For the Greeks: mankind.
During the Middle Ages: God. Now, money.
For me, it's just life. José Luis Sampedro.
A collaborative documentary from 15mMalaga. cc
Any culture is primarily and basically based on
its values.
On human freedom value,
on human dignity, on justice
and solidarity values...
Nowadays, that is no longer respected.
Because values have been replaced,
as motives for action,
by the economic interest.
Only what is considered profitable is done,
whatever is considered to give better returns.
What ought to be done is not done.
Of course, that's the end of any culture.
15M: MÁLAGA DESPIERTA (15M: A CITY WAKES UP)
HOW WE REACHED THE SQUARE
No! No! They don't represent us!
DEMOSTRATION REAL DEMOCRACY NOW IN MÁLAGA
"WE AREN'T GOODS IN POLITICIANS' AND BANKERS' HANDS".
The first meeting arose in Málaga
one month and a half before May 15th.
The initiative came from a Facebook group
that created a pro-action citizen platform
to start this movement,
whose progress has finally been a nice surprise.
I first read about it
thanks to Facebook, thanks to one of its events,
40,000 people said they were coming.
I have a section in Radio Vallecas in Madrid,
and I encouraged people to go, but I didn't.
So I told people to go but I didn't go because I was overworked by my job.
As you know, on May 22nd,
we have municipal elections in our country.
There's a lot of activity on the web about this.
There is a general call on May 15th under the motto:
"Occupy the Streets, Protest for a Real Democracy"
This is a colourless call;
they rather organise every citizen
under the motto: "We aren't goods in politicians'
and bankers' hands. "
The call had an outstanding reception.
It was the biggest protest I have ever been.
We remained at the square, just like:
So this is it? Is that all?
Tonight we're not going home!
Let's camp here, OK?
Bring as many people as possible,
this can't end up being just a one day protest.
Then, I read in Twitter
20 people are camping in Madrid
until the end of the elections.
If you can't sleep here,
you can stay for a while
you're also welcome, OK?
Although tomorrow some have to work,
the ideal case would be that some of us maintain the camp.
We need to show movement here
and that we'll stay until the elections.
Of course!
Those who can stay, get together,
and let's organise ourselves...
This is a call for immediate mobilisation.
We can't wait until tomorrow
it has to be now.
Let's invite other cities to occupy their streets.
That was amazing for me.
I fooled about it on Twitter:
All my support for Sol Camp!
Would we be enough for a #MalagaCamp? #15mani
I received a tweet from a person
who was saying that they would do the same in Málaga.
On Tuesday, 17th.
I tweeted it hoping
anyone would answer.
20 minutes later, someone tweeted:
It would be great if a support camp was settled here in Málaga.
Is it born from DRY (Real Democracy Now)? I do not know... From a Tweet?
It is OK if we don't know.
And, from that very moment
what is it? What is not?
It is the general dissatisfaction and the need to do something about it.
We tweet it and 100 people join in two hours.
A policeman arrived and asked: "We've been told there is some anti-system
protest around here...
What are you doing here, sitting under the sun?"
Well... enjoying Spring, youth, chat with friends...
I had had political and social
concerns for a while,
but I didn't know what to do with them.
I think it was like that for many of us.
Many people arrived. They saw it on Twitter.
We said that at 7pm we organise an Assembly so we can decide...
Let's keep this space we won today.
Let's take shifts
and stay in the square, avoiding being kicked out.
Because we're not doing anything wrong.
We're just protesting freely.
That's what I propose.
Suddenly, some megaphones and banners appeared.
We just realised we all felt the same,
and that everything was not individualism or apathy
then, the Assembly starts and you think:
"What that person is saying fits in with what I believe".
That evening we wondered about
camping or not.
Under the blue sunshade
you will find blankets
and sleeping stuff.
If you need it because you're cold,
grab one freely
but return it later, right?
Please do it carefully, we've been cleaning for 30 minutes!
I returned from holidays on the 15th, in the morning.
I arrived, joined the call
and, on May 17th, I was already camping. I loved it.
I met more people during these 20 days
that during a year of normal life.
So I stayed. I went back home
but I quickly came back here to stay.
Night from 15th to 16th May. Madrid. Puerta del Sol. Eviction from the Police.
The reaction to that evacuation was the opposite to Government's expectations.
The 15M Movement is born.
It was the stage representing the loss of fear.
There was little to lose.
Instead, there was so much to learn from the youngest.
More cities were joining:
Barcelona, Seville, Granada, Cádiz...
This happened during Francoism
when we came back home with not much harm
we lost fear and came back the following day.
Here, the youth has lost fear.
The duration doesn't matter.
This already happened. This exists!
One of my warmest experiences has been
phoning one of my kids in Madrid...
He answered and said: "I'm in Puerta del Sol square".
Two generations have joined in the same project.
That's beautiful.
During my 5th day in the camp,
as I could not hold any longer
all the emotions I was feeling, because
this was so important for me,
I wanted to share it with my partner.
He was in Ourense (Northern Spain).
I phoned him and said: "Hey! "You! Two-bit revolutionary!
What the hell are you doing walking the St. James' Way?
While the youth stood up... ".
He said: "I'm going to the station right now
and I'll get a one-way ticket to Madrid"
When he reached Madrid,
he phoned me
but he couldn't speak...
He was so moved...
The National Electoral Commission declared
all citizen protests as illegal
during the elections day.
We were here, in the square
with our tents and demands
that never conditioned nobody's vote...
They didn't think about winning the elections...
But they did think that any society could continue this way.
Some specific aspects of our society had to be changed.
There was an euphoric atmosphere... Excitement!
People wanted to marry each other!
Taken by euphoria, we all thought
we were taking the reins of what we really need to do!
The night we were illegal.
Let me comment some simple notions
that are based in common sense,
and that are always good to remind.
The first one, pacifism,
even if it is a personal choice,
must be what represents us today.
This is a pacific action!
Pacific!
Just be very calm, all of you!
This is for future,
this is history
and today is a very, very important day.
We need a lawyer's phone number!
If arrested, we have the right to a phone call and to a lawyer.
The massive attendance at the square avoided the evacuation
in the shape of a civil disobedience act. #Malaga Camp becomes established.
Thinking about the square,
I remembered '68, Woodstock,
and I loved that. Frankly, I loved that moment.
Now I'm here! That's being lucky!
Most of all, a "something's happened here" feeling.
There has been an awakening. We don't know how that happened, but it did.
When that occurs, one must be there.
We're Tunisia,
Wisconsin, Tahrir, London,
Damascus, Athens,
Madrid, Lisbon, Málaga.
We declare war on austerity, precariousness and fear.
And we I got there and I saw so many people, so happy people,
I felt moved.
I said: "Something good is going on as there is a crowd in the street".
I've always wanted to change the world, always.
and when you see people with similar ideas,
the best of mankind flourishes.
This is about agreeing and discussing
and say: "We want a different world and we have to build it ourselves".
Bauman, the Polish philosopher said about 15M,
that there was a risk of for blurring this movement
because it is very emotional and lacks reflection.
That's not true. That's not true.
The proof is that when they emerged,
still in May and June,
their demands were published in the press.
Suppression of the privileges of politicians.
Measures to fight unemployment
Measures to promote housing
Measures for a quality public services
Control of Banking
Measures to control financing
Citizen freedoms and participative democracy
Reduction of military spending
BREEDING GROUND 15M's been an explosion of social awareness
BREEDING GROUND this will be a legacy for next generations.
Nothing will be the same from last May 15th
they know that there is something they have not stolen from us.
They have not stolen our dignity!
Two external factors were necessary for the existence of the Movement
in an specific context that is the key.
First, the neo liberalism,
an absolute lack of democracy where governments,
no too much democratic, do not make the decisions
leaving them to undemocratic corporations as financial corporations.
Another key factor
was Internet as a network that allows
broadcasting, communication
and self-organisation, a key factor.
These factors have been the key,
they're pretty external, timely, without them wouldn't been able a movement like this.
MODELS OF CITIZEN'S SELF MANAGEMENT I'm going to mention some concrete cases
The "Nunca Mais" (Nevermore) after the oil leak caused by the Prestige tanker.
This movement was organised in the same way
CARNOTA, GALICIA (SPAIN). DEC 2002. THE WHITE TIDE CLEANS THE SPILL FROM 'PRESTIGE' TANKER
After the "No a la Guerra" (Stop the war on Iraq)
Another important moment, when the train attacks on March 11th, 2004 happened.
On March 13th, there was a viral SMS
and people started concentrating in front of the People's Party headquarters
to accuse them of lying.
That it was not caused by ETA (Basque Separatists), but Al Qaeda.
13th MARCH 2004. SPONTANEOUS PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE PP OFFICES
V de Vivienda (H for Housing) was another important movement
which anticipated housing problems
that are very important for us.
IKEA OCCUPATION, BARCELONA.
The beginning of the crisis
coincided with "Anonymous".
It was something that had never been seen before,
people organising themselves on the net and fighting against things they don't like.
It was later promoted by the emergence of WikiLeaks,
and the struggle to defend Julian Assange.
Another key moment happened
after the cuts of digital freedoms
and the attempts to impose Copyright
That caused the "Don't Vote Them"
against the Sinde Act and all the movement this law generated.
There were new ways and the question always was
"How can I fight with them? How can I do it?
from my city miles down the South of Madrid,
which is down in a bottom corner of Europe?".
MAP OF THE REVOLUTIONS 1.- THE SILENT REVOLUTION
2008-2011. ICELAND. THE REVOLUTION OF PANS AGAINST THE ILEGITIME DEBT.
The feeling was nobody would never rise up in Spain.
Have you seen what's happening in Tunisia? Yeah, but don't hope that in Spain.
MAP OF THE REVOLUTIONS 2. ARAB SPRING
APRIL 2011. TAHRIR SQUARE. CAIRO. EGYPTIAN SPRING.
The inspiration caused by the Arab Spring and Iceland's inspiration,
the question of occupying the squares
(3. TONIGHT THE SUN RISES) and public spaces set the grounds for it.
Some: "Hey! See what's happening around!".
Some restlessness on the people. Something we could imitate.
From the very beginning we took the Arab movements into account
in order to create a strategy an energy network,
(AFTER 29 YEARS, MUBARAK RESIGNS)
joining forces together. (AFTER 29 YEARS, MUBARAK RESIGNS)
This way, change could happen. (THE ARMY GETS THE POWER)
And consciences could be changed and wake people up.
We need to honour our brethren in Northern Africa,
We have learnt from them,
the Arab revolts have taught us so much.
And the most important thing: "we can do it!". Now, we're able to say:
"It's possible".
We don't need to continue supporting dictatorships, whichever they are:
Economic, political, financial
corporative or chauvinist. No!
This call for revolt, this is...
is a new world.
(4.- MÁLAGA WAKES UP) Another world is possible, we said.
(4.- MÁLAGA WAKES UP) It's happening now...
JUNE 19th. MÁLAGA. DEMOSTRATION AGAINST THE PACT OF THE EURO.
MAY 27th 2011, CATALUNYA SQUARE, BARCELONA
We are not doing anything. Please!
UNDER THE EXCUSE OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS,
CATALUNYA'S HOME OFFICE CHAIR FELIPE PUIG SEND UNDOCCUMENTED RIOT POLICE SQUADS.
Don't hit us! ***! Don't hit us! Please. Hey! We're not doing anything.
UNDER DELIBERATED ORDERS, HE ORDERED TO CHARGE
AGAINST DOZENS OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
Don't hit us! You can't hit us! I want to see your ID!
THERE WERE NO LEGAL OR POLITICAL RESPONSABILITIES.
YOUR TRUNCHEONS FEED MY INDIGNATION.
AT THE SAME TIME, IN MÁ LAGA
When on May 27th
they charged in Barcelona, there was a feeling of solidarity everywhere.
People took the streets in every city
and, of course, we did the same in Málaga.
There was already a call for a protest by the Worker's Committee
and we also asked for solidarity with the charges.
MAY 27th 2011. DEMOSTRATION IN MÁLAGA
We are working all together,
that happened many times in History.
Masses that join and rise up.
But, for me, the key difference now is
the individuality is fully respected,
that the individual is important as an individual.
So 15M is a sum of many ones that equal a lot
to change together.
Don't look at us! Join us!
DEMONSTRATIONS IN MÁLAGA
THE MEDIA
The press asked: "But, who are you?
Democracia Real Ya? (Real Democracy now?)"
And I told them: "Just supporters!".
"But why are you staying?".
"Well... Due to everything, don't you think?".
WE ARE THE MEDIA
There were several stages during the 15M media coverage
The first stage was negation
and total obstruction.
They did not understand anything. Traditional media
use three basic magnifying glasses
to read the news.
I think they are only two, anyway.
And they said: "Alright, let's try this glass... ".
"I don't understand it, I don't know what's going on".
"Let's try this second one... Mmm, I don't get it".
The press did not know where it came from. They did not know how it happened.
They were conspiranoid.
Some said that this was a plot. Especially general-interest media.
As they did not understand it completely they decided not to report it
in a new way.
They tried to encapsulate it in some of their mental cofferdams
they use to label everything.
"Who's getting the benefits?" "Rubalcaba (Socialists)? Rajoy (Conservative)?
Esperanza Aguirre (Conservative)?" Who?
4 DAYS AFTER THE CAMP
MAJOR NEWSPAPERS ECHOED THE NEWS
AND COVERED IT IN THEIR FRONT PAGES
THE WASHINGTON POST WAS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL PAPER
TO GIVE RELEVANCE TO THE CAMPS
There was not a very bad response in Málaga, at first.
On May 18th, we were the in the main local journal front page.
"Spanish May?"
That was not a bad article.
After that, there was a defamation campaign.
They stopped focusing on the assemblies.
To say that the square was dirty.
they said that there were bugs, lice...
and only drug addicts were camping.
Not only here, but also in Madrid.
There was this thing of "Open air sex in Sol's Mutiny".
To be honest, I would have loved to see it,
or even to participate.
The truth is that we were focused on something else..
I was thinking about asking the journalist if I could get those contacts...
To see if I can finally get some love... You know...
SMARTPHONES AS A WEAPON
If we compare
our movement with other social actions,
whatever is called a revolutionary act with people in the streets...
We would change traditional weapons
as guns or molotov cocktails
for smartphones. That's our weapon.
That's what our citizen's movement uses.
If we take into account all social phenomena that have happened lately,
the use of smartphones
is an essential communication weapon.
It is able to transmit whatever happened
and even call people
to join in minutes.
We can use social media, such as Facebook or Twitter,
used from the smartphones, the people call to join spontaneously
and nearly instantly.
That was such a powerful weapon
that traditional media
or the traditional use propaganda machinery
could not predict, and finally, people,
people, not organisations or flags,
not the structures, could join to protest globally.
Thanks to social networking, this could be done.
They are double-edged blades,
but they were used in a great way this time.
It allows that, as media don't give the voice to the people
we have social networks to get it.
We can grow, share
or create new strategies.
We can create new concepts and face reality
from a critical perspective. I am not outraged.
I am hurt by injustice.
I am moved more than by rage,
by reason and empathy.
You know about this better than I do.
There is this kind of social networks.
Some for "posh people" some about other topics...
We can use them today
to organise easily.
This was impossible in the past.
Thanks to computers,
we can use the gadgets and SHARE!
Thanks to this, thousands can join in few hours.
We citizens aren't exposed in major journals front pages,
but we are able to write our own history
with the most powerful weapon ever invented:
The Net! May 15th
was born as a Facebook event.
And this camp was born from a tweet. Some post in Twitter.
We have learnt to use social networks
to go beyond superficiality.
We have changed them to become our tool to debate and communicate.
But we let the mouse go
and occupy the streets as we are doing today
and as we have been doing everyday since May 15th.
We want to honour Camp Sol
They finish their press reports
in a way that we want to make ours.
"Turn off the TV, close the paper.
And begin to write your own history
Which is also everyone's!"
OUR STORY: THIS DOC
They were making a documentary in Madrid
about the whole Movement.
A friend of mine, Tere, who's a producer
rang me, and said: "Rakesh,
can you film some scenes in the square
which is the third
biggest camp in Spain?"
I started filming, but...
I realised I couldn't do it alone.
I started working with him in interviews
for people to tell their experiences.
We wanted to know what was happening,
what every Commission was doing.
Which was their task and why.
Over time,
this global documentary project
the national documentary about the Movement
was stopped.
Then I realise there is a lot of material
to make a documentary film focused in here, Málaga.
Thanks to a 20 people group,
we could finally do this documentary
about the Málaga movement.
There are many stories happening thanks to 15M,
and this is a Málaga story, our point of view.
THIS DOCUMENTARY FILM IS THE RESULT OF THE COLLABORATION
OF TENS OF PEOPLE WHO RELEASED IMAGES ON THE WEB.
THIS WAS MIXED WITH OUR OWN VIDEOS AND INTERVIEWS
WITH PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO EXPRESS THEIR POINT OF VIEW.
WHAT YOU SEE IS OUR OWN CONSENSUS,
ACCORDING TO THE MOST GENUINE 15M STYLE.
LIVING AT THE SQUARE
IF THEY CONTINUE THIS WAY, WE WILL DO LIKE IN ICELAND.
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE CAMP, COMMISSIONS ARE CREATED.
COMMISSIONS
In the camp, several work groups were created soon:
Education group, Health group, etc.
These were focused on the needs we had at that moment,
to discuss the things we wanted to change...
Do you want some milk? Wait, here you are...
- Hey, excuse me. - No, it doesn't matter.
Couscous, rice, potato omelette...
Some guys came to get their Tupperware,
to fill it with some food and bring it back again.
They bring cookies, chips, a Serrano cured ham...
We are waiting for them to bring a cut base and a knife.
- What are you bringing? - Bolognese pasta.
Thank you so much! We will share it out.
Look! They're bringing the cut base for the ham.
We basically inform about what is happening.
We note the decisions
taken during the Assembly,
in order to track them.
In this way, we can later provide the media with true information.
I don't consider myself a big fan of this movement,
but I track it on the press.
I think it is very important that youngsters in the country
start reflecting in a way different from the usual way
people think about this society.
15M youngsters
are in this new world.
They are educating themselves
in a fashion very different from their parents'.
They are now living
in a world different from capitalism.
We are not used
to take collective decisions.
At all!
As we have been educated in individualism,
in getting higher marks than the next classmate,
in being cooler, in having more...
but not in taking collective decisions.
What is happening when we don't know how to take collective decisions?
Well, they take them in our behalf.
This is what is called beehive thinking.
I think this is much more important and positive
than a single thinking mind at home.
This makes that topics being discussed are much more plural,
to end up in a more positive conclusion.
There was also a very new thing, this is, taking the town square,
in downtown, where everyone talked about things which are not usually discussed,
at least in this country: Politics, Economy,...
By gestures we all could understand.
There are three sections in any Assembly:
one is the Work Commission,
that is making a meeting here where they will tell
what is being doing and inform the Assembly;
Other sections are the contents or strategic discussions,
that should be done in small groups; And, lastly, the free microphone.
If you wish, we can start discussing the first subject,
which is setting information desks
in districts and towns, to pick up their ideas.
Yes, yes... Well, yes, this is wonderful
but now you have to talk.
We have to ask people in towns
if they wish to take part in this too.
Maybe it is not necessary to discuss every single subject,
but giving autonomy to these Commissions.
We, in Alora, are reclaiming
for local issues, solutions that can be done to create employment.
But I think that we should generally claim for
a retirement at 60 years,
because it is unnatural,
that our retirement age is delayed, while our youngsters are unemployed.
This man in red has given his opinion and we heard some booing.
A booing is an idea-repressing measure.
If we are creating a free
and unrepressed democracy, there's no place here for that.
We should have the right to speak
provided that we speak independently.
Not from a political party.
Not from an union.
They already had their chance
to defend us and protect us, but they didn't.
This is a self-evident decision, no more.
We have to do this, how could we do anything else?
For banks, governments and corporations,
we are only consumers, not citizens.
We do not agree on everything,
then, we are going to think together
as individuals,
to get a common consensus, right?
In 1930,
to recover from the 29' breakdown,
there was a "visionary" in the White House
who developed a series of proposals
consisting in:
Reducing the public salaries,
cutting social rights,
lowering the public expenditures... What happened after that?
That it took 15 years to recover from the Great Depression,
with a World War in the middle.
Realising that we started at 8pm and that at 12 pm,
we had to turn off the loudspeakers,
because of the neighbours, with 200 people there,
asking about Economy issues, on Friday...
And now I am seeing the youth here, following our traces,
the traces of those who fought against the Francoism.
Here we have this youth,
showing
they know how to fight. They do not only have party.
Many people said: "we are making History".
It took my attention
that historical terms were being recalled.
Terms with lack of use, like pro-common,
a term largely used in the 15M Movement.
Pro-common is what belongs to us all,
like, for example, this square.
A place they are privatising, by
making people consuming
in hypermarkets
so avoiding them
to meet in a place to talk, to share.
The square as a symbol
has become something real;
this is the public square to its fullest extent.
Squares have always been places to trade,
for economic transactions,
places where there was usually a power representation,
an institution, much often a church...
We do not understand why all the protests are held here,
this is very comfortable for politicians,
because there is no public entities here, anything.
I mean, voices on the streets,
but those who have to listen those calls and voices
are at their offices, far from here,
so this does not work at all...
One of the things we like most
is the free microphone round.
It is an improvisation at the end of the Assembly.
Hi!
I am 70 years old and I come every day,
I make a call to my generation,
to get them up from their chairs
and sofas and... make them come to the square!
We want to see you here!
Even your parents,
your grandparents,
we want to see them all here in the square.
I want to see then all here.
We need you! We need each other!
We are not used to this,
I mean, the spontaneity of a place like this;
we cannot find that in any place.
I think this is a value which attracts many people.
We speak with freedom,
and that is always precious,
because sometimes we do not dare to say what we think.
They say we have freedom of expression,
but this freedom,
to become real,
to represent my ideas,
implies that I think freely,
because if I restrict myself, in my thinking,
to repeat what media,
TV
and press repeat all the time,
because they inform wrongly, they distort reality...
Then, if I restrict myself to that, I do not have a free mind.
As a part of the credo (AFTER THREE WEEKS, WITHOUT GREAT PROBLEMS)
we followed in the 15M, we all agreed, (AN ASSEMBLY ASSESS THE FUTURE OF 15M)
we were all outraged people. Everything OK, up to there.
What I could not agree about was
how it grew later on.
I did not like the occupation of a public space.
Frankly, I did not like that very much.
The owners of the occupied space businesses did not like it either.
That damaged us a little.
I think the Movement also gathered
people that had nothing to do with it.
There is a sentence, said by my mother and grandmother:
Poor people are a nuisance everywhere.
I wonder why a social alarm is not generated
with those who, after the protests,
go to pubs
to drink whisky or expensive beers.
For me, drinking from litre bottles
mean poverty and sharing.
People who drink and party,
are not the people who come to fight for this cause.
It was an outstanding warning for any Government,
and a warning to make it clear:
streets belong to everybody, not only some.
Here came some politicians to say there was nothing they could do.
There are people who are not following the principles:
no violence,
non-party nature, no alcohol and no drugs.
The square is free, but this is a question of image.
At no moment there has been food in excess,
I shared food out many days, but I saw people
who after spending all day long in work, have come in the evening
and we had no food to give them.
I mean, we denied no food for no one.
We do not intend to exclude those being hungry.
The first few days people brought more food than now,
that we only have cookies, milk and water.
About the them-us discussion,
this is called Occupy the Street.
There are people who were already in the street,
and we take it now.
Please, let's think about it,
attitudes bother, people don't.
Today, we will not have security in the camp,
Police will be here, but they do not always come when wanted.
The physical and psychological fatigue of people being here,
who are making this work,
is very harmful.
We cannot tolerate this,
as they are the engine and the strength of this Movement.
I think we should bet and make the retreat a victory,
not a defeat.
That is why we have to set a date to leave, but it will not be today.
What I propose is making a great concert
on Friday evening, a party.
Let's make a great retreat,
with a long discussion,
a retreat in a victory.
People.
We have to be really aware of that we have a lot of work to do this week.
AFTER TWO EXTRA ASSEMBLIES, THE ASSEMBLY DECIDED TO BREAK CAMP.
ON JUNE 20TH, CAMP IS BROKEN. COMMISSIONS ARE TRANSFORMED.
The Health Commission became the White Tide.
This was composed by doctors, nurses, paramedics...
They united as a reaction to Public Health cutbacks.
The camp, guys, has been settled here for a month.
But the camp spirit does not break, because the camps and assemblies
will continue and, they move to our consciences!
DISTRICTS AND TOWNS
That moment of "we're going to the districts"
was really great. It was vital to break
the centralized square dynamic.
The district assemblies were very important.
However, it is true that, except in isolated
cases of space appropriation,
mutual support initiatives,
it's true that in a general view,
but for some exceptional cases, it did not settle in.
It wasn't able to do that.
We will recover the verdiales dance tradition, don't let it die!
Let's listen to it and share it!
After the district assemblies, projects to transform the environment were settled.
'El Caminito' was an initiative by the Centre district.
It is a common space and an urban vegetable patch.
SURROUNDINGS SAINT MICHAEL'S CEMENTERY.
Things converge by flowing, right?
In the Alpujarras, I saw a documentary...
The urban vegetable patch is previous to 15M.
It was done by a group of people called "Another Málaga",
who had the idea of recovering urban spaces and make them vegetable patches.
Because these sites are like warts
in the city panorama.
These abandoned (or not) sites
are managed by the Town Planning Council.
We consider it is important to have a near space,
with specific characteristics,
that belongs to public entities,
so a negotiation with the Town Hall was feasible.
And also we call for public spaces
to be taken over so citizens can use them.
You have this urban patch project...
In the Management we could also join
and give you soil, fences, tools and stuff.
This is a work consisting in fitting a citizen initiative
in an administrative environment,
already existing from the institution.
Our task is making everything work,
by respecting each other.
The district schools are hoping the opportunity to attend...
workshops.
The vegetable patch is the excuse,
the core around which
several activities spin
to teach the Environment respect
or how vegetables are cultivated,
because we are very far from this farming world.
I asked for a housing and I stayed here,
so here I am. If I can't is because I don't have.
I will have to live here, in this waste ground.
We will help you as much as we can...
He asked for a housing...
Well, this man is there, keeping his position,
our aim is, as soon as we are there,
helping him to clean his house...
INDIGNANTS CITIZEN MARCH
Fellows, we will make a walking protest until we reach Madrid.
The aim of this protest is taking the Movement
to every town in Spain, even the tiny ones.
In these towns, of course, we will have assemblies.
If you wish to come, just come.
You do not have to walk all the distance, as that takes a month,
and that is an extremely big effort.
We started the protest, walking during 30 days.
We stopped every day in a different town.
We let them know we were coming.
So, when arrived, we usually did a protest
to let them know we were already there.
Then, we usually did an Assembly in every town
to get every proposition.
We collected the town problems in every Assembly,
in order to take them to Madrid.
We know, we feel, we're walking to Madrid!
From North to South,
from West to East,
the citizen protest will always be!
Gregorio and me
know this is something we'll never forget,
as it was one of the most beautiful experiences we ever had.
When going through Toledo, on July 19th
we had been living together for 32 years.
We both decided we were celebrating it
with the fellows we were sharing the walk with.
As we are in La Mancha, let's buy a local cheese,
some wine and let's have dinner together.
As we were off, they made a banner,
which read a beautiful sentence:
"Love and Revolution walk hand in hand".
That fact that we wanted to celebrate it
during the protest is not a coincidence.
We never celebrated it with anyone.
It's been so nice sharing this with the group.
In a little town, some days before,
we had a conflict
and some said they were leaving.
I thought
the leaving group was affecting the rest of us as group.
So I told that in a few days
Feli and I would have been 32 years together,
and we have lived many crisis,
as in any relationship.
* Happy anniversary! *
* Happy anniversary! *
* We all wish you! *
* Happy anniversary! *
* Wake up, look at the dawn *
* the birds are singing *
* and the Moon already got sleep *
One of our strengths is
keeping moving along the same line.
We had no previous connection,
we never met before,
and now we are living together 24/7,
sharing food,
the space to sleep,
restrooms, the protest...
This learning is a life experience.
Very interesting.
We were councilmen in Sant Boi, 7 km from Barcelona,
during the first municipal elections.
Gregorio was the First Deputy Major,
I was a Healthcare Councilman and, later, Governorate Councilman.
We were fully committed, even if we did not receive a penny.
This was the base of our militancy.
When we say we have been in Politics and Trade Unionism...
But not the Politics and Unionism from today, neither decades ago!
But in the 70s,
80s, selflessly, everything!
And there were the solidarity,
brotherhood values...
All that was exchanged by receiving money for everything...
The unions and political parties
have become corporations.
From East to West, the citizen protest
will always be!
We call for a fair, democratic law, to finish poverty,
with the extreme poverty, and also with precariousness.
If we want, we can. Today, we dream that if we want, we can.
And tomorrow we will prevail with your help.
Thank you so much.
No! No! They don't represent us!
No! No! They don't represent us!
No! No! They don't represent us!
No! No! They don't represent us!
No! No! They don't represent us!
JULY 23rd. MADRID. FIVE WALKING PROTESTS ARRIVE FROM ALL OVER SPAIN
From this moment on, and during the next days,
we will keep on transforming this society
by sharing our experiences and ideas.
Welcome all, we were waiting for you.
Today, the sun is shining brighter than ever.
Walkers from Germany, Belgium,
Egypt, Syria... are arriving.
In conclusion, people from all over the World to show their support.
Hi,
I come from Athens, Syntagma square.
Two words, I only want to say two words.
On behalf of all the Greeks I've met:
we support you, we really admire you
and we love you, brothers and sisters. We love you so much.
Thank you!
We are all Greece!
We are all Greece!
We are all Greece!
We are all Greece! We are all Greece!
When we reached Madrid,
we made a book with every claim from every village in Spain.
We tried to take it to the Congress in a good manner,
but they didn't allow us to get in.
We used a distraction:
A girl got dressed in more elegant costumes
and got in.
She presented our protest proposals.
The next step was clear.
If we already went to the Congress, now we are heading to the European Parliament.
Brussels, as the Europe's capital, is a very important location to go and claim.
A walking protest to Brussels, from Spain,
is a huge effort, I think.
WALKING TO BRUSELS
SEPTEMBER 17th. PARIS. FRANCE. ARBITRARY ARRESTS BETWEEN THE MARCHERS
Listen, note the lawyer's phone number!
Deep down, I think the 15M Movement represents
the fighting again social injustices caused by
the banks and by the States...
The unhappiness in general.
If we don't resist these powers
very strongly and consistently
we'll have no chance of ever
having a better life.
One of the European Parliament groups
invited us to visit the Parliament and say
what we wanted to say. A part of the Assembly
decided to go, to see what happened...
Others opposed.
We just come to say thank you
for this invitation deference.
At the same time, we would like to invite you to come
with us, to Elizabeth Park and to the University,
where we organized ourselves under precarious conditions.
We invite you to the assemblies we are having,
which are open, free, democratic, non-hierarchical,
non-party and non-unionist,
and in a completely pacific way,
every person here,
every member of the Parliament, and every citizen of the European Union.
You are all invited to attend.
At 7 pm, you can come to Elizabeth Park.
Without further add, thank you.
We've crossed through a metal detector,
as in the airport, they made us empty our pockets...
On a passé le contrôle comme à l’aéroport,
de métaux.
Et, finalement, on a passé.
On a pris tous les choses de nos poches.
We emptied our pockets, like in the airport.
That visit was also ignored by media.
And, after that, we started the big preparations
for October 15th.
OCTOBER 15th 2011 PROTEST
82 COUNTRIES
951 CITIES
I think the October 15th
was a big surprise for all, and well, the result is tangible, right?
In Málaga, this was the most massive protest
since 1977.
And this constitutes also a milestone,
which is connected with what happened in Seattle in the 90s:
this is, most probably, the first global protest ever,
at the same time, in all the World...
The figures issue is always there...
and the press media and police always inform about lower figures...
So what they didn't realized,
150 was not a question of figures.
It was not Málaga, neither Madrid, neither Cairo,
neither Reykjavik. It was a global question.
150: UNITED FOR THE GLOBAL CHANGE.
BRUSSELS
These are our weapons!
LISBON
ATHENS
JOHANNESBURG
SEOUL
NEW YORK
OCCUPY WALL STREET WAS BORN UNDER THE MOTTO: "WE ARE THE 99%".
15M: A SOCIAL MOVEMENT The 15M development
has nothing to do with this idea. Among other reasons,
if you create a movement against Politics,
you have to do Politics some day.
Being out from political parties and trade unions
does not mean we do not believe in Politics.
We instead consider Politics is everything
and that Politics does not belong to politicians.
Politics is anything you are worried about.
Any tiny thing... that is Politics.
It is enough if this calls into question
the values this society is supporting.
It has the spontaneity
born from a necessity but,
when this need falls,
or when this need is not fulfilled,
or people just get tired, the Movement will just disappear.
However, others will emerge at any time.
That is the essence of any social movement.
The 15M maintains a great communication ability,
easily seen in the social support it keeps.
A key moment was September 25th, Circle the Congress.
We got a new communication motto.
This was not only indignation,
it was a quite radical proposal for
"all to leave", a dismissing process,
so we can build the system from scratch.
So, after, we can start a constituting process. It was a more extreme practice.
Circling the Congress "bunker".
Despite its criminalization,
the surveys showed support to the proposal.
One criticism: the lack of outlining the proposal.
When a plan is not defined,
some others might do it instead.
In the Arab Spring movements,
the Islamist Movement has designed a vanishing line
which has persuaded many people.
In Greece, the Golden Dawn movement, nazis and fascists,
has influenced many people.
The 15M is not presenting a vanishing plan,
neither a victory strategy.
That is missing.
In this sense, we are touching the ceiling.
The lack of results has been criticized, it is not real.
A society subjective change has emerged.
A radical change.
We need to understand that historical processes
begin on the subjective. In two years,
this is done in a very deep way,
but we live our vital years
mostly in a daily precariousness situation,
we got this urgency to get results,
but, in History, one year is nothing.
Historical changes are produced in...
five or ten years cycles.
Despite this urgency, processes have to flow.
This subjective change is essential.
EL CAMINITO, URBAN VEGETABLE PATCH, MARCH 18th 2012.
We need some seed!
This has changed. Of course!
But in the good sense. Because of your work
this has changed.
This went a long way, and it is well done.
What we need is some plants!
- More water? - No, more compost.
We should cover this over there. Cover it all.
I think this movement
is like a seed planted by 15M.
There was a moment when everybody said:
Enough!
But no, enough, let's destroy everything!
Enough, we have to change many things.
We have to get together and talk about this.
ACTIONS
I think the Action Commission is very interesting,
because they use art in different disciplines.
For example, performances,
in places where things are going wrong, like, for example, in banks.
There is where they show
their art and vindication duality,
what makes them more interesting.
But this is public money, doesn't it belong to us all?
Nobody asked me if I wanted to give that money.
So, now, I want it back.
* With the bank, all the carnival people *
* We work to steal a smile from you *
* and you work to steal money from me *
MARCH 1st. BBVA BANK (MÁLAGA). ACTION FLAMENCO AGAINST THE CAPITAL.
Ole!
AUGUST 5th. MÁLAGA. ACTION: IF THE BANK GETS MY HOUSE, I MOVE TO THE BANK.
This morning, in Larios St., in the centre of downtown,
we saw this image:
The Outrage have reproduced a seized family house.
They wanted to condemn the defencelessness situation of those under mortgage.
Later, they tried to get in the bank offices,
but they were not allowed to.
Yes, yes, they do represent us!
Yes, yes, they do represent us!
President! President!
Thank you for this warm welcome
and for the effort I know,
many of you are making,
for our glorious Party
to stay in power forever.
Terrorism is Education
being in hand of the markets.
A free and quality Education is a required
condition to build a fair society!
In knickers. This is how they found
the 15M members in the Málaga Assembly.
EDUCATION CUTBACKS they try to represent all citizens are naked
REPAYMENT IN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING and defenceless against the cutbacks.
ABOLITION OF UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENT GRANTS
CLOSING OF LIBRARIES REDUCTION OF ERASMUS GRANTS
ACADEMIC STAFF CUTBACKS UNCOVERED ABSENT LEAVES
HIGHER STUDENT RATIO PER CLASSROOM PUBLIC MONEY INJECTION
FROM THE CRISIS BREAKOUT IN 2008 ON,
THE BANK OF SPAIN RESCUED THREE SAVINGS BANKS AND TWO BANKS.
Please, attention!
We would like to inform you about the security measures against the crisis.
We remind you to remain sitting and fasten your seatbelt
during all the crisis. Should a lost of a property occur,
a hatch will be opened in the cockpit under the seat
so you get exposed in the open.
EVICTIONS IN SPAIN
SECT. 47- SPANISH CONSTITUTION THE RIGHT TO A DECENT HOUSING
EVICTIONS IN MÁLAGA 2008: 1.010 EVICTIONS
EVICTIONS IN MÁ LAGA 2009: 1.508 EVICTIONS
EVICTIONS IN MÁ LAGA 2010: 2.419 EVICTIONS
EVICTIONS IN MÁ LAGA 2011: 3.280 EVICTIONS
EVICTIONS IN MÁ LAGA 2012: 2.901 EVICTIONS
A FAMILY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EXORBITANT PROFIT FOR A BANK
JUNE 24th 2011. MÁLAGA. EVICTION BY BANK SANTANDER.
The people united will never be defeated!
The people united will never be defeated!
These are our weapons!
These are our weapons!
These are our weapons!
Those of us affected by mortgages got here
in a dreadful emotional state,
and finding people who are supporting and
in direct action is very important.
The PAH (Platform for Mortgage Victims)
existed before the 15M Movement
and maybe it was one of the groups
already working on a non-party line...
When the 15M, with that meeting spirit
emerges, then...
We make actions
to protect those in suffering,
for example, when they evict people.
We also do performances to...
criticize specific situations.
I, even if the cameraman, drop the camera off many often,
maybe because the battery ran out, and I give it to another:
"take this, keep the camera", and I come into action.
I was even dragged once by Police.
Things must be said as they are.
We are stopping this eviction!
We are stopping this eviction!
We are stopping this eviction!
We can talk to her then, if you wish...
If they want to talk to you... I have no objection at all.
The financing group
wants to re-capitalize its banks,
wants to have more money in its banks.
It wants, summing up, to fully control and own
the force that money represents.
They demand poor debtors
to pay.
However, for the poor debtor, under these circumstances,
paying is very difficult.
And they tell them: "pay whatever the case may be.
I want you to pay".
We have data from the General Council of the Judiciary
saying that there are 517 evictions per day.
We are talking about families, not one person,
but even four persons per family.
I want to say the eviction has been stopped!
Police is considering, due to the force
demonstration, about stopping the eviction.
The problem we have now is that this is seen as a personal failure
with a huge guilt.
This affects normal people, who cannot go out and say:
"I cannot pay my mortgage, I don't even have anything to eat".
In this country, this is very difficult to assimilate.
The Platform makes this problem visible.
Our hostesses will inform you about indignation:
contact your neighbours and people around you.
Make assemblies, organize yourselves and protest.
Thank you for your attention. Have a nice crisis.
NO PERSON IS ILLEGAL
Hi! First of all, I wanted to...
check if we can include this in the manifest,
because I didn't hear about immigrants.
Many of us here are immigrants,
we work here, we want to share the same rights,
as we don't have them.
I think we should include
the immediate regularization of immigrants
living in our country.
And the closing of the Internment Centres,
which are like prisons for us.
Thanks to everybody!
AUGUST 11th. CAPUCHINOS SQUARE (MÁLAGA). INTERNMENT CENTRE.
The most important action has been Bouziane's.
We camped for Bouziane in front of the CIE, the Málaga
Immigrants Internment Centre.
This marks a before and an after, for me.
SID HAMED BOUZIANE. ALGERIAN. 28 DAYS IN THE CIE.
THERE WAS A DEPORTATION ORDER TO HIS COUNTRY, WHERE HE WAS UNDER DEATH THREAT.
By means of a friend, she was called and informed that
Bouziane was arrested and imprisoned in Málaga Centre.
We went to visit her and then I had this encounter free from
religion and culture barriers.
A pure love encounter among people.
An 28 years old Algerian runs away because he is under threat
by Military Police and by a terrorist group,
he settles down in Córdoba, he falls in love
and makes friends. And, suddenly, one day,
after coming out from a phone shop,
he is arrested in a racist raid.
I started meeting some people from 15M
and we talked about it in an Assembly.
I had found a lawyer.
I realised he must be granted two special permissions:
The political asylum right, because Spain must grant
protection to those pursued by ideology reasons.
And the residence right, due to humanitarian reasons.
In the case of being ejected,
he would be murdered.
I had no legal arguments to defend him,
so I turned to the Assembly and then
a fellow, Fali, opened my eyes.
He said: "why don't we camp until he is released?".
When we decided to go there, I was pessimistic,
most of all due to the police charges, you know?
The first night, we decided to stay at the door
and Police charged against us, which caused a huge frustration.
AUGUST 8th 2011. THE POLICE CHARGE AGAINST THE ASSEMBLY.
This Centre represents the maximum injustice
in force in Spain, from my point of view.
While we were there, lots of people didn't even know
there was a prison at that square.
A place which is worse than a prison, in prisons
there is at least Regulations to set the times you can go to the restroom,
the times to eat, the times you can go to the library,
or the times you can walk in the courtyard...
However, you have no rights there.
Police has committed lots of abuses
in this Internment Centre. Rapes to female inmates were reported.
This appeared in press and the case was accepted.
However, they previously ejected all the inmates,
before the case was brought to trial.
A violation of all the fundamental rights a person should have.
And this is next to my house, in Málaga downtown.
We have celebrated this ceremony to crown,
with the maximum anti-disturbances honours,
shown in the square
by different agents from the National Security Body.
We would like to highlight the courage of the agents
who showed the most outstanding tenacity
in their heroic anti-disturbances mission.
We decorate the agent no. 834726D83
with the prize to the artistic merit, for the coloured and beautiful designs
in the haematomas done on the back
of porter no. 82H7346L84.
To the left...
To the front...
To the right...
To the front...
- One step forward... - Maria!
One step behind...
Macarena... Ah!
August 16th Manifesto: Freedom for Bouziane.
It has been only 9 days since the CIE camp
reached the doors at this Centre
to demand its closure and show support to Bouziane.
9 days during which hundreds of people came here,
neighbours from Málaga and other cities,
showing all their support.
Even if in Málaga only 100 people were touched,
in that Assembly, due to their violence,
they touched all of them too.
And, after nine days, we are still here because we are not willing
to be treated as goods.
The fight does not end because we work actively,
like hundreds of groups before us.
For these sewers, called Immigrants Internment Centre,
close their doors!
Let's hope Bouziane is here with us soon,
he sends you a big big hug to you all.
And let's keep the rush!
AUGUST 17th. BOUZIANE GOES FREE. END OF THE CAMP IN THE INTERMENT CENTRE
The first day, I thought...
I would be ejected to my country and consequently be killed.
But everything changed due to this good people,
that helped me a lot.
All this work has also a visible result:
preventing one person to be killed.
To people in the 15M, thank you so much for all.
This is an amazing thing.
It was a political decision taken by the Government Delegation responsible,
we got it thanks to mobilization and permanence,
to turning to media, to people,
to neighbourhood... It was thanks to that.
Getting someone out from the CIE
is the biggest achievement by this Movement
and the biggest achievement for many of us, individually.
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS CLOSES THE MÁ LAGA CIE DUE TO ITS BAD CONDITIONS.
THE CENTRE IN MÁ LAGA WILL CLOSE FOR NOT FULFILLING "HABITABILITY CONDITIONS".
INTERNEMENT CENTRES IN SPAIN
FROM THE 15M ON,
Activism is democratized, we are more united:
time banks creation, self-management networks,
food centres, urban vegetable patches,
Creation of new models for participation, the citizen tides:
White (Healthcare) Green (Education)
Orange (Social Services) Blue (Public Water)
The PAH (People Affected by Mortgage Platform) receives support
More than 600 evictions stopped until April 2013.
And helping signing of 1,5 million petitions to call for a popular legislative initiative
for retroactive accord and satisfaction,
the end of the evictions and social rentals.
Promoting higher social conscience when consuming.
Revealing the bank rescue by Government.
Bringing former minister Rato to justice, using the 15mparato platform.
Showing up the two-party system in Spain.
PP and PSOE parties are down in the pools.
From the "Circle the Congress" protest on,
the discussion on a constituting process is reopened.
15M's biggest victory is making us realize we are not alone.
If we get together,
of course, WE CAN.
WITH HIS CONSENT, THEY INFORMED THE SOCIAL SERVICES.
HE WAS GIVEN A POST IN A PUBLIC RESIDENCE.
"Er Banco Güeno" (Andalusian slang for "The Good Bank") is an action by 15M,
PAH and other associations in the neighbourhood.
The 15M planted big seeds...
It is an illegal rightful occupation of an space
that was taken by a bank
from more than eight years ago.
120 people can eat here.
But more and more people are coming.
This is the warehouse.
The joke we do is that, before, the bank kept the pasta (Spanish slang for "money")
and now it is still keeping it.
This is not only charity,
but a political act.
To denounce the situation
and its responsibles.
Anytime I have a free hour, I come here to help
and prepare some couscous.
I will make harira tomorrow.
I don't work here for money. I want to help for God.
He will pay me, that is all.
Every night, I go to my bed in peace,
as I realize I am helping,
I feel useful.
Because us, and I speak for myself,
Before, we were rejected in every place.
This is not a centre to feed people,
but to participate.
The main aim is creating self-management
in La Palmilla.
Neighbours bring foods,
they cook them and eat them.
The property belongs to the Unicaja Foundation.
Foundations pursue a social aim which is not being accomplished.
We came here to make a real social work.
I answered that question many times.
I usually do it when new people arrive
they look at you and say:
"But, what is the 15M doing? But, how is it?"
I always look at the person and say: "You are here and talking to me,
that is what 15M does. The 15M joins people.
We had been waiting this for a long long time,
because, finally, people
have risen to the occasion...
To make the violent system fall
and get the best from human beings...
To be able to participate in everyday decisions:
in Economy, in Politics, in social issues...
That being alive feeling, to change things, an illusion feeling...
For many years we believed in
the incapability to change things...
The 15M is not the centre of everything, actually.
If, tomorrow, streets get occupied again,
under the 24J name...
Great!
This is the beginning of something that can be really big...
We have to be clear about the fact this is the "beginning of".
This is something the Spanish society needed.
As societies in every country,
subdued to finance powers...
This is an active, united and organized,
politically active and present in the streets nation.
With this hope and this responsibility.
I have to earn a living, things are quite difficult.
I'm thinking about leaving the country.
Getting out from here.
On the other hand, I think: "No, I want to be here".
This is an historical moment
and I want to live it here.
And it doesn't mind if it is in Málaga or in Madrid.
It is an umbilical cord to join us all.
Not only in Spain, but globally.
It demonstrates how absurd this society is,
where the money power is the important thing.
It does not make sense: people are the most important issue.
We forgot that
we were people, that honesty was primary,
that goodness was primary... And now this is born again.
I think the most important recognition by 15M
is the return to values.
And that is all.
The long-term solution
is Education.
This doesn't mean this can wait... It must be done now!
IN MEMORY OF JOSÉ LUIS SAMPEDRO
*Subtitled by 15MMALAGA.CC DONE WITH AEGISUB
*SYNC BY JC AND RAQUEL*
*TRANSLATION BY JC, SANDRA AND CARLOS*
*CORRECTED BY RAQUEL AND VISUALITA*