Feminists – 2,000 according to the Government Delegation and 25,000 according to the organizers – have walked along Madrid’s Gran Vía behind a banner in which they ask for “unity” against machismo, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which It is celebrated this Saturday, November 25. However, they have also chanted slogans for the abolition of prostitution and against the Trans Law, which separates them from the 8M Commission, organizer of the other march that will tour the capital this afternoon. This year, however, no proclamations against former minister Irene Montero have been heard, as in previous years.
Although the desire of the conveners was to focus on the fight against gender violence, which includes the abolition of prostitution, the fight against minors’ access to pornography or the end of reproductive exploitation, in relation to surrogacy, the protesters have also chanted slogans against gender self-determination included in the Trans Law, promoted by Irene Montero, such as ‘Being a woman is not a feeling’.
The march called by the Madrid Forum against violence against women and the Madrid Women’s Council, which brought together grassroots feminists, considered ‘classical’ or historical’, in the center of the capital, started after 12:00 hours, shouting “not all of us are here, the murdered ones are missing.”
They have also cried out against the increase in sexual violence and economic and labor violence towards women or the need to promote surveillance systems to prevent migrant girls who arrive in Spain from being captured by pimp mafias in the centers that welcome them. as well as returning to the spirit of the State Pact against gender violence, among others, demanding an audit of it.
Behind a banner under the motto ‘Citizen Unity and Institutional Response’, the protesters began to march along Madrid’s Gran Vía with chants such as “we are women, we want each other alive”, “enough of patriarchal justice”, “we are the cry of the voiceless”, “be careful, you can have a whore by your side”, “Madrid will be the grave of machismo”, “women are not rented, babies are not bought” and carrying signs on which messages could be read such as “Where are the millions from the State Pact?”, “Women demand respect” or “Feminism is abolitionist.”
In statements to the media before starting the march, one of the spokespersons for the Madrid Forum against violence against women Ángeles Álvarez recalled that the Forum has been calling for this demonstration since 1997, “the year Ana Orantes was murdered”, and in in which a total of 97 women died in Spain for being one. “In the year 2023, the massacre of women continues to be a reality in Spain as a consequence of murders due to sexist violence,” she stressed.
Álvarez has expressed that this year’s demonstration is called to call for the “unity” of civil society and institutions to confront violence against women.
This year, a group of women attended dressed as the ‘feminist campaign’, with white dresses and masks. They have carried signs in memory of the 93 femicides that have occurred in Spain so far in 2023. With the name of the victim, the age and the place where she was murdered, these 93 women have remembered these women shouting “enough already”.
This is the first demonstration this Saturday for 25N that takes place in Madrid and was attended by the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, along with other ministers and party colleagues.
Redondo has appealed to the “unity” of feminism because dividing is an “trick” for Vox and the right. “My first message is to appeal to unity, it doesn’t matter where we demonstrate, my daughters will go out this afternoon in the demonstration in Valladolid and I am here with my party like so many other times, that is not the significant thing, the important thing is that listen loud and strong to the voice of women and all feminists,” she said.
The Minister of Equality, along with her fellow ministers, abandoned the march at the Plaza de Callao, halfway along the route, shortly before the reading of the manifesto.
From the unions also present at the march -CC.OO, UGT and USO-, the general secretary CCOO of Madrid, Paloma López, has demanded an end to the scourge of sexist murders that unfortunately have increased this year.”
Among the people who participated were Carmen and Juan, a married couple of retired septuagenarians, who attended the demonstration this Saturday to protest “the situation that women are experiencing.”
María and Carolina, two friends from Jaén living in Madrid, have decided to attend this demonstration and not the one called by the 8M Commission this afternoon because “this is the abolitionist one.” This is how María, 32, explained it to Europa Press, while she claimed that “this is the only valid feminism.” A secondary school teacher, María has also argued that “from ESO there are kids who already watch porn.” “We are tired of all the violence,” she added.
Paula and Victor, 35 years old, came accompanied by their two young daughters, in rejection of “structural violence against women,” as Paula told Europa Press. “This is the demonstration called by the traditional feminist movement and I declare myself an abolitionist,” Paula stated to explain why they have decided to join this call and not the afternoon one, which will be attended by another Government minister, the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, as well as Irene Montero.
Also among the protesters was Olga, 59, in a wheelchair who has been attending these marches for a decade.
“THE WORTH IS THAT THERE ARE TWO”
“I come to this one and to many, also to the 8M one, the shame is that there are two,” Olga said in statements to Europa Press, who does not rule out also staying for the afternoon demonstration, called by the 8M Commission. “It should be unified,” she wishes.
For his part, David, 45, explains to Europa Press that he has discussed it with his girlfriend, “who is well informed” and they have thought that she is more clearly opposed to the idea of ??machismo and abolition,” has declared. In any case, he has specified that on March 8 they usually attend the meeting called by the 8M Commission.
Despite his osteoarthritis, which makes it difficult for him to walk, David believes that it is “necessary” to go out into the streets to “continue opposing sexist violence” and has encouraged all men to join these marches.
Around 2:00 p.m., the reading of the manifesto began in the Plaza de España. After that, the women murdered since last 25N have been remembered by reading their names, ages and place where she died, shouting “murdered.” At the same time, the women of the ‘feminist company’ have placed a white carnation for each of them on the stage. Subsequently, the names of the two minors murdered this year were read.
The event concluded with applause, the emotional musical performance of a violinist “with a heavy heart”, said Carmen Flores, from the Madrid Forum, who asked politicians to “get to work” and stop throwing themselves ” pullitas”; and a batucada.
The Government Delegation against Gender Violence counts this year a total of 52 fatalities, two more than in all of 2022, to which must be added one minor and another under investigation for vicarious violence. Since 2003, 1,237 fatalities have been recorded, leaving more than 400 minor orphans. 016 is the telephone number for victims of sexist violence and leaves no trace on the bill or on the terminal.
