Protest in La Plaza de Catalunya

Since May 15th, tens of thousands of youth have set up around-the-clock protest camps in cities and towns across Spain to complain about the government's handling of the economic crisis and future of Spain.  Through social media, the protest is now known as "The 15-M Movement," and even as "The Spanish Revolution."  The camp set up in Barcelona is in the main square, La Plaza de Catalunya, which happens to be right next to my school.

These are pictures of the protest  from my first night in Barcelona.

This morning, I woke up to an email from the IES Abroad director informing all IES students that the Barcelona Police were moving the protesters out of the plaza and that we should be careful and avoid any conflict with the protest while walking to school.  Sure enough, Camille and I walk out of La Plaza de Catalunya metro stop to a police helicopter hovering above the plaza and hundreds of cops controlling the streets in SWAT gear.  As we head towards school, the first gun shots (rubber bullets) start going off and police start charging the protestors.  Camille and I rushed towards school, where there were ambulances and police cars lined down the block.  From the balcony in the classroom, my class watched and talked about the protestors and police.  The director of IES came to our class to make sure everyone was safe and contacted everyone who was missing.  We got out of class early and were told to avoid the area all today and tomorrow.

View from my classroom balcony.

According to the latest news, over 100 have been injured from today's riot.  After lunch, I saw one man with stitches on his eyebrow and a huge red welt on his back with a black and purple bruise-outline.  Tonight's news aired policemen beating and shooting rubber bullets at the protestors who tried to re-enter the center of the plaza.

Police interfered with the protest because the plaza had to be cleaned before soccer fans gather there tomorrow night after the Barcelona vs. Manchester United UEFA Champions League game.  It is a tradition for the people of Barcelona to watch the game on big screens and celebrate wins in La Plaza de Catalunya.  Now, however, the plan is to move the big screens to the Arc de Triomf to avoid massive crowds of fans and protestors.  Protestors were allowed back into the main square after it had been sanitized.  My friends and I plan to avoid the square tomorrow night.  Hopefully no conflict will arise again.