SPAIN-IMMIGRATION/PROTEST Human rights groups demonstrate against immigration bill

Record ID: 590395

  • Title: SPAIN-IMMIGRATION/PROTEST Human rights groups demonstrate against immigration bill
  • Date: 23rd December 2014
  • Summary: DEMONSTRATORS SINGING (Spanish): "We will protect those who are victims of cruelty" VARIOUS DEMONSTRATORS SINGING
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1NLOQIIIITJFY7CEFEB7U8X4Z
  • Story Text: Human rights, religious and non-governmental organisations staged a demonstration near Spain's senate in Madrid on Tuesday (December 23) against a new bill that will introduce tougher anti-immigration measures, allowing border police to deny entry to migrants from Africa trying to enter the country by crossing fences at the enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta.
    The conservative-led Spanish parliament passed a "citizen security law" on December 11 despite heavy opposition from politicians and activist groups.
    The law will be voted on in the senate, at a date yet to be defined, but is expected to pass as the ruling People's Party (PP) has a majority in both the upper and lower houses.
    On Tuesday a pair of activists dressed as two of the three wise men, Caspar and Melchior, led the demonstration holding a picture of a migrant sitting on top of the barrier separating a Spanish enclave from Morocco, and explained that Balthazar, the third wise man, was not present as he was not allowed to enter Spain.
    "We are here by the doors of the senate today because our friend Balthazar has not been allowed through the border of Ceuta and Melilla as his documents were not in order," the demonstrator dressed up as Caspar said.
    Spain has two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla where Spanish and Moroccan territory is divided by a triple barrier.
    Last year, 4,235 immigrants crossed from Africa into the two territories, either by swimming along the coastline, climbing the barrier or hiding in vehicles.
    Compared to the 2012 figures, that showed that 2,841 immigrants had passed, 2013 figures showed a 48,5 percent increase.
    Many of the migrants enter Melilla - where Spain reinforced the perimeter wall a few years ago - with no documentation.
    As they marched near the senate demonstrators led by Caspar and Melchior sang against the law to the tune of Christmas carols.
    "We will protect those who are victims of cruelty," they sang and also chanted "Balthazar will jump (the fence)."
    Father Javier Baeza said he hoped the senate would not pass the law.
    "We have come to ask the senate to block the government's attempt to legalize the illegal expulsions from the southern border," Baeza said.
    Another demonstrator, African immigrant Almany Haidara, said the law was unjust.
    "I'm protesting in favour of human rights and against what's happening at the border. What the ministry of interior is doing is unjust," Haidara said.
    Every year thousands of African migrants try to reach Spanish and Italian territory on small rafts, and there are rescues and drownings almost every week.
    "The citizens security law" also essentially limits demonstrations to authorized gatherings and imposes heavy fines on unauthorized protesters.
    Although the bill was watered down from a draft introduced last year, opponents say it still disregards democracy in a country that only emerged from right-wing dictatorship in the late 1970s.
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