Fined for Graffiti against Romantic Love
Accused of painting graffiti against romantic love on the evening before February 14th in Donostia (Basque Country), three young people have been punished under the Gag Law. As well as complaining about how they were treated by the police, they have told Basque magazine ARGIA that they are not going to pay the fine. “The Gag Law, the police's attitude and other things which are happening are unacceptable. Which is why these people are going to refuse to pay the fine as an act of civil disobedience".
The graffiti appeared in the Donostia university campus on the eve of St. Valentine's Day, Aske maite zaitut ('I really love you'), Zeloek hil egiten dute ('Jealousy kills') being among the slogans. Several Basque police patrol cars arrived on the scene and stopped three people. "When they searched us they almost stripped us and made us walk barefoot", they have complained in a communiqué.
Although the young people identified themselves on the scene, they were taken to the police station and kept there for more than two hours. "The objective behind the arrests is clear to see: getting those people on their files, taking their finger prints and photos", they explained. They have also complained that the police version of events is "full of lies".
"It happened on the eve of St. Valentines. On the day that Cupid obliges us to consume, have monogamous relationships, be heterosexual and be dominated, exclusive and to reproduce stories about princes. The slogans written on the walls that day were against all those values."
This article was translated by 11itzulpen; you can see the original in Basque here.
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