Police Besiege Barcelona District in the Run Up to May 1st · Global Voices
Chris Moya

*All links lead to sources in Spanish unless otherwise stated.
The day before May 1st, the International Day of Workers, during a protest in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, organised by Endavant (a socialist organisation for national freedom) under the slogan “Against the dictatorship of the euro: popular sovereignty” , a hundred protestors went through the district's streets peacefully followed throughout the entire route by 280 riot police, heavily armed with anti-gas masks and shotguns, as well as more than 100 policemen. A total of 40 police vans took to the district causing outrage amongst the community.
Photo of Grácia. Used with permission.
The group 15mbcntv has produced a satirical video condemning the police occupancy of the district:
Policemen in Vila de Gràcia. Photo by @SiitoMellark. Used with permission.
Immediately social networks and blogs were the platform for opinions and comments against the display of force from the new Interior Advisor of the Catalan Government, Ramón Espadaler, and the hashtag #manibrimo [protestRiotforce] was created.
@Informatica_CGT: The police Starship Troopers march in. More than fear, you feel a little bit sorry for them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS4m9SUe9kQ #maniBRIMO
*Cover photo taken and made available by Sergio Picón.