Thousands of people fill Bilbao in a massive mobilization for the right to decide Basque organized by Gure Esku
Tens of thousands of people, 35,000 according to municipal sources, participated this Saturday to the organized demonstration in Bilbao by the sovereign platform Gure Esku (formerly Gure Esku Dago) in favor of the right to decide from the Basque Nation. The Ikurriñas and the shouts of “Independentzia” as of the banner have been protagonists in the street of Autonomy. “Today in the streets of Bilbao we are claiming the need for a free and sovereign people,” said the spokesman of the citizen platform, Josu Etxaburu. Finally, PNV leaders have attended although the party as such did not support it, unlike EH Bildu.
A group of 'Joaldunak' and the sound of the horn have preceded, among applause, to “a giant ikurriña with the names of all the municipalities of Euskal Herria”, according to the organization, and the banner that headed the march, in which you could read the motto chosen for today, 'Herri Libre Bat. Euskal Herriak Erabaki '. In Spanish, 'a free country, that Euskal Herria decides'.
On the part of EH Bildu, among others, the parliamentary leader, otxandian pello, and the spokeswoman in Gipuzkoa, Maddalen Iriarte, who, prior to the beginning of the march, have addressed journalists and has pointed out that “this people have to have the right to govern their future.” “We work every day to have tools to carry out our public policies, but we still have many, so we want to have another type of relationship with the states,” he said.
PNV participation
Likewise, the leaders of the PNV Miren Martiarena and Markel Olano participated in the march. The 'Jeltzales' have not attended the call of Gure Esku as a match, unlike in events of previous years. Aitor Esteban party sources affirm that it is “because there has been no coordination prior to this call between the organizing part” and its formation, but affect that they have given “freedom to their affiliates to go to this call if they consider it so”, according to sources of the Euzkadi Buru Batz. EGI has also been, the youth of the PNV, like Ernai, the equivalent in the Abertzale left. Representatives of the ELA, Lab, Steilas, Hiru and Ehne unions have also joined; The Etxalde Movement, Bilgune Feminist, Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua, the Movement of Pensioners, the Ikama Youth Organizations.
In the words of Etxaburu, the Biscay capital has gathered today “thousands and thousands of Basques who think differently but are in favor of the right to decide.” “Today in the streets of Bilbao we are claiming the need for a free and sovereign people,” he said. In this sense, he explained that what they want to convey through this call is that “Basque society is interested in sovereignty.” “Moreover, Basque society wants and needs sovereignty. For what? Basically to improve the living conditions of all citizens and also because we need new tools to respond effectively to the challenges we have in hand,” he added.
The spokesmen of Gure Esku Esku, Etxaburu himself and Irantzu Perello, have read the manifesto, in which they have celebrated the day as a “fundamental impulse to work in favor of sovereignty”. “Thanks to the courage gathered today, and the citizen will expressed today, it will be easier to take firm steps towards sovereignty. We have clear the goal: a free people, a sovereign people who decide their future. We are on the road. We are moving forward on that path,” they continue. After a brief cultural act of Clausura, in which Bertsolari Jon Maia and the Palestinian Music Group Sol Band participated, the mobilization has ended with the song of the “free imajinatu”.
