I am sitting in Cornwall feeling frustrated by the UK news coverage of the protests in Spain. At least BBC Radio 4 has now started to report that something is going on but the news presenter says that a demonstration is happening in Madrid. No mention of Barcelona or any other city. They also stress the youthful nature of the protesters, somehow managing to imply that youth = naive enthusiasm = not so important.
It is interesting to move between two countries and notice how the news is dominated by local items and how those same items are considered too trivial to mention in the other country. British stories are rarely featured at all on Catalan TV and I don’t think I have ever seen a Catalan story on the BBC news. Except for sports of course. If it’s football!
So, for those of you who are wondering, there are municipal elections on Sunday in the whole of Spain. I am entitled to vote as I am registered as resident in Granollers but it turns out that I should have applied for the voting part of my rights and by the time the voting card should have arrived, it was too late to apply. Granollers is covered in posters of grinning politicians. What about this one? He gave out balloons to all the children in the Porxada………

The protests, which started on May 15th (now known as 15M which I may adopt as a new way of writing down my birthday) were publicised on Facebook and Twitter and are taking place all over Spain, not just in Madrid. People are fed up with the corruption and lies of politicians and bankers and the way the economic crisis is being manipulated to cut living standards for most people while a minority still grow richer. Unemployment in Spain is now at 21% and youth unemployment 45%.

Normally all political activity is banned on the day before an election. It is called the Jornada de Reflexión, the day of reflection, and today – Saturday – marks a change as the demonstrations are now in direct opposition to the law.  I am thinking about all those people in Puerta del Sol and Plaça Catalunya and beyond and wishing them well.
I notice that in some British papers the protestors are critisised for lack of clear objectives. this seems to me to miss the point. This is not a political party with a manifesto and a party line. These are ordinary people, of all ages, citizens who want a voice and a say in democracy. And other ordinary people are bringing them supplies – food and blankets and water – to show support.  It seems to me like a live process rather than a fixed rigid demand.
Something exciting is happening!   Som-hi!