Scenes from the destruction of Sol

Dear people,

This morning, August 2, just before sunrise, police have moved in to destroy the encampment in Paseo del Prado and all the structures left by the 15M movement in Puerta del Sol. As far as I was able to ascertain there have not been any arrests, nor any physical aggression against persons. But that doesn’t make it acceptable.

The desalojo was carried out simultaneously in Prado and Sol, with massive police deployment. I myself was sleeping in the Information Point in the Paseo del Prado. I have tried to document what I can. Everybody was taken by surprise. People sleeping in tents were awoken and brought to the central fountain where their identification was meticulously copied. Just before an officer forced me to take out the batteries from my camera I was able to shoot the following scene.

After the ID-check people were free to go. From a couple of comrades I heard that Sol was also being cleared. Fortunately I could keep my batteries, so I was able to document what was happening there. Even though I risked big time. When I took a photo of police blocking one of the streets leading to the square, two officers came up to me and requested my camera and my ID, once again. I showed it saying I was a Dutch citizen, and I cancelled the image, hoping I could continue to keep shooting. In the end I could, and I’m grateful for that.

Police deployment at Puerta del Sol

Amidst the ruins

Dismanteling the Field Kitchen and the Art Commission:

What I witnessed was pure barbarism. As if the Huns had invaded Puerta del Sol. The destruction of everything we had built up there was perpretated by the municipal cleaning department. The police was only present to seal of the center of the square and to check the roads leading up to Puerta del Sol.

Destruction of the infermary, using a bulldozer:

Rest in Peace

The city cleaners have taken away food from our field kitchen after they had torn it down. They have destroyed the infermary using a bulldozer. They have destroyed at least one citizens private property. They have destroyed many works of art.

The remainders of the Field Kitchen

Going shopping

Throwing away the photos of our comrades from Lisbon

The eviction of Puerta del Sol was a prime example of disrespect on the part of the authorities. They could have chosen to clean the square and to preserve the sculptures, the photos and the paintings that were exhibited there. But they didn’t. They treated everything as trash. We are a constructive movement based on peacefulness and respect. And today, in the face of the authorities’ indiscriminate vandalism, we have gained an enormous moral victory.

Municipal cleaners throwing away someones bike:

Throwing down the mast of Puerta del Sol:

According to rumours the authorities have decided to clear Puerta del Sol and the encampment in the Paseo del Prado because of the upcoming visit of the pope, in mid august. This visit is going to cost the Spanish taxpayer milions of dollars. People are pretty indignant about that. When you walk around the city you can already hear some of them warning you: ‘Watch your wallet! The pope is coming!’ After what happened today, mister Ratzinger can be sure to receive a boiling welcome from the indignados.

Watch out! The pope is coming!

Only after eight thirty the first big camera’s arrive. They slept late today. Almost everything is gone already, the cleaning officers are busy spraying the square with water. I sure hope that the media will have better reflexes tonight, because there will undoubtedly be a popular reaction to this. This type of destructive behaviour on the part of the state will not be tolerated.
Sol is ours. And we will take it back.

Police lift siege of parliament by force

Dear people,

This morning at 7:30 AM we woke up to see the sight of a line of police vans moving towards parliament. People were calling “Arriba! Arriba! Everyone get up! The police is clearing the square!”

I encounter a comrade from the northern march, we run towards parliament, and we arrive just in time. Behind us the police seals off the Prado so that no more people can reinforce the campers outside of parliament.

Everyone is sitting down in the middle of the road. Police are lined up on two sides in riot gear. I arrive in the middle of all the action. The clearing of the square is just beginning. I start filming. Check out how the officers take people by their ears, hair and jaws to take them away.

 

As they get carried off to the side one by one, the rest of the people are shouting, “No to violence!” It doesn’t take long before three officers physically ‘convince’ me to leave the road as well. From that moment onwards I can only look on from behind the police cordon as our camp gets cleared out, the barriers get opened, and traffic starts to flow again.

When people get dragged away, in the heat of the moment, they turn their rage against the police. I can understand it, but I don’t share the feeling. These people in their uniforms are still our brothers. They are just executing orders, and they are doing it professionally. Jim has got some bruises on his arms and on his back. Other people will do as well, but as far as I can see no-one got really injured.

Still, many of the police officers do not have their ID numbers clearly visible as regulations prescribe. They get photographed one by one by some of our people while they are guarding us on the pavement. At the same time the police are fighting back in the information war as well. One of them is constantly filming protesters from close up with his hand held camera.

When the road is cleared, spirits calm down a bit. One of us is allowed to gather stuff from the pile and distribute it. Someone else is walking around shouting: “Lawyer! Lawyer! Does anybody want a lawyer!” The people who do, write a name and a telephone number on their arms. In the end, just before they let us go, five by five, we hold a collective embrace.

The movement is strong. But it’s important, even in the face of police action, to keep cool. There are undoubtedly some bastards among the police who really like to do this and who would love to use their clubs if they got the order, but I’m convinced they are a minority. These people in uniform are not our enemy. Our enemy is somewhere else. And he doesn’t dare to show his face.