Anti-Pope demonstrations in Barcelona
Europa Laica (Secular Europe) and over 20 other Spanish associations held a well-attended demonstration to protest against the Pope’s trip to Barcelona, under the banner of “We’re not coming to greet you!” in Plaza Sant Jaume in front of City Hall on the evening of Nov. 4th in advance of the Pope’s arrival.
The organizers, among whom were the CNT-AIT, the historic anarcho-sindicalists, Catalan Atheists and Valencian Free-Thinkers, called for the end of official agreements between the Spanish State and the Vatican that favored Roman Catholicism over other religions, for a real separation between Church and State, and for secularism to prevail in all aspects of society including health care, education and taxes.
Sergi Dantí, a folksinger who performed at the demostration, is the grandson of exiled Republicans. Born in Argentina, he came back to Spain in the 1980s. He sang “Padre Nuestro, de las cunetas” (Our Father who Art in the Ditches) in homage to all the fathers who were killed during the Civil War in the name of protecting “decency” and have been lying in anonymous mass graves since then.
While the Mayor of Barcelona, of the Socialist Party, called for citizens to hang banners with the Vatican colors from their balconies to welcome the Pope, representatives from Iniciativa per Catalunya-Verds (former Communist Party-Greens) were visible at the anti-Pope demonstration and called for the visit to be a private affair for Catholics.
More here.
Thursday’s was not the only anti-Pope demonstration. There were protests held at the same time as the Pope began his 6 hour mass to bless the Sagrada Familia organized by Deixem-nos d’hòsties (A play on words involving the host or wafer given at mass). The Pope was outspoken against divorce and abortion on his trip to Spain.
¡Qué grande, Sergei!