An article from Do or Die Issue 9. In the
paper edition, this article appears on page(s)
59.
The Spanish State
Activists in the Spanish state could also be feeling
the heat of new anti-terrorist legislation. The Spanish Cabinet agreed in
September 2000 to 'toughen up' anti-terrorist laws. Primarily the laws are aimed
at the armed Basque group ETA but they could easily be used against other
protest movements. The draft reforms, which still need to go through the Spanish
parliament, include things like making it a criminal offence to praise or
publicly justify 'terrorist' acts, redefining 'terrorism' to include certain
acts of arson and allowing for youths accused of 'terrorist' acts to be tried in
adult courts. This new proposed legislation seems very similar to the British
Terrorism Act, and it could be an indication of other European Union countries
following a similar route. A few years ago an eco-activist from the Basque
Country was arrested on terrorist charges relating to his environmental
campaigning - we have to assume that any new anti-terrorist laws will similarly
be used against animal and earth liberation activists in the Spanish state.