Portuguese politicians beaten by Spanish police

The attempt by a group of Portuguese demonstrators, led by Bloco de Esquerda (Left Block) politicians Francisco Louca and Miguel Portas, to travel to Seville to take part in an anti-globalisation protest, was violently repelled by a group of Spanish Guardia Civil, which invoked reasons of national security to turn back the sis bus-loads of young demonstrators.

The Spanish police had allowed the two politicians to enter the country, provided that the remaining demonstrators turned back but Francisco Louca and Miguel Portas refused to accept personal privileges. After an initial discussion, in which the police were informed by Francisco Louca that the group of demonstrators had every right to enter Spain because they were EU citizens, the 13 Guardia Civil agents became “hysterical” and started pushing and beating the demonstrators back into the buses.

Several policemen entered the buses and confiscated rolls of film from passengers which had registered the incident.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru