German – 5 min 40 sec – 1645

IRAQ WAR PROTESTS - SPAIN

(Scene: Protesting crowd marching down city street behind a banner reading “No a la Guerra” (No to the war))

Commentator: “Spain experienced its hottest springtime in years. (Scene: Red, yellow & purple tricolor flag of Second Spanish Republic.) Hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest  the course of the government and its support of the War on Iraq”. 

[0.00:05] (Scene: Crowds in streets. People with red flags with symbols outlined in white.)

Commentator: The leaning of the Government towards the Iraq war drew the general public of all sections of similar convictions out to protest.” [0.00:15]

Man in brown zip cardigan and black “no a la guerra”-patch on his shirt: “Until now, one has tried to remain a-political and would have liked to remain so, but this war has mobilized the people” [0.00:27]

(Scene: Crowd sitting on their haunches. Riot police on street corner [0.00.33] start shooting anti-riot ammunition at crowd [0.00:34] Crowd runs. Crowd kneels and chants [0.00:36]

Commentator: In no other country did the feelings against participation in the war cause such fierce reaction as in Spain.

(Scene: People exhibiting peace slogans on shirts and banners (paz, ban the bomb, etc.,) kneel in the street facing police.)

Commentator: Especially the pacifists had an “explosive” mission.

(Scene:  Woman in red trousers, black top apparently taunts policeman.)

Commentator: Attacks by police were not infrequent.

(Scene: Policeman strikes woman on head. Woman falls on ground clutching head. Other people run to her. Cop walks away.

Commentator: Reminders of the Franco dictatorship years were rekindled [0.00:46]

(Scene: José Maria Aznar in blue shirt, blue necktie, glasses in hand)

Aznar: “They did not defend anybody. They did not defend anybody at all, nobody.”

Commentator: “No feast of lines (not clear what he says or means

[0.01:00] (Scene: Spanish parliament. Members clapping]

(Scene: Man wearing light green jacket, pinkish shirt, in home office behind computer)

[0.01:05] Commentator: “The journalist Herman Tertsch, son of the Austrian diplomat Ekkehard Tertsch, is considered one of the most influential columnists in Spain.”

Tertsch: “I spoke to ... “ (sounds like Dartnel, but name is unclear) “... about this, and I am convinced that he acted on his conviction, and that he also believes that if the matter stretches across the borders into Germany and France, Spain cannot play the role that the government wants it to play” [0.01:37]

[0.01:38] (Scene: José Maria Aznar)

Commentator: “Aznar is looking to return his fatherland to its previous greatness.  He wants to lead Spain back into the circle of powerful nations.

parliament. Members rise and open shirts to reveal T-shirts with slogan “No a la guerra” (no to the war) [0.01.44])

(Scene: Spanish parliament.)

Commentator: “Discussion turns to the USA which would allow Spain to return to the international stage to resume its rightful position.”

(Scene: Opposition members hold posters reading ‘14 days of war’, ‘corpses, corpses, corpses’, ‘800 bombs, 700 missiles’, ‘no to war’, Aznar, step down!, etc.)

Commentator: “The opposition is of the opinion that the price of participation will be much too high. Aznor’s opponents formed a united front against him as never before.  From right to left in parliament its criticism rained down on him.”

(Scene: Speaker of Parliament)[0.01:54]

Speaker: “I will permit the continuation of the debate. Just a moment, Mr. ... (name unclear).  Mr. Leon Perez.”

(Scene: Leon Perez)

Leon Perez: You spoke about a “clean” war that would bring the reign of Sadam Hussein to an end.  At the same time, how many Iraqis would lose their lives? How can you support a war like this one?  This unjust war is a shame, and if you had a shred of decency in you, you would keep us out of this adventure.”

Commentator: “No day any more ...”

(Scene: Crowd in front of official building. Poster reads “Make love not war – Amor no pelear (love don’t fight)” ) [0.02:33]

Commentator: “...without peace demonstrations.”

(Scene: Women produce lipstick& apply it to their lips and to the lips of men in the crowd, so as to leave “kiss” prints on everybody’s face.) [0.02:36]

Commentator: “The spirit of the city wars of the 60s in the Puerto del Sol are brought to mind again by the ‘love’campaigns ...”

(Scene: Grey-haired guy with tinted glasses gets kissed on the cheek and smiles.) [0.02:44]

Commentator: “...  but the personalized image of the kiss has disappointedly proved that the political climate in Spain has been poisoned as never before.”

(Scene: Empty shop window, glass broken.) [0.02:46]

Commentator: The governing party has also undertaken to commit themselves.  The government sees criminal activities behind the peace activists.

(Scene: Shuttered party offices:  PP de Catalunya, “Fresh & Ready”.) [00.02:55]

Voice of Hermann Tertsch: “Since that time, hard words have been exchanged.”

(Scene: Hermann Tertsch against background of polka dot painting.)

Tertsch: “At the time of...” (sounds like ‘Gostud’) “ ...and his transition here, everybody spoke to everybody, and everybody spoke to everybody else.  Today , people are criminalized. When ...” (sounds like Melhadez),  “...the leader of the Communists, says in parliament that the majority of the parliament has their hands full of blood, he has actually gone one step too far, and then one criminalizes the government, and the youth say, “well, if the government has committed murders, why shouldn’t we break up their locales?

(Scene: Riot police in front of shuttered KFC store) [0.03:40]

(Scene: Paved road/sidewalk littered with paper, plant material, orange traffic cones, presumably tomatoes, etc.) [0.03:42]

 (Scene:  TV screen showing men in suits exiting a room. Media reporters with cameras, etc.) [003:44]

Commentator:  ”Members of the governing party are free game. These TV images prove that the members of the opposition are guilty of atrocities.”

(Scene: José Maria Aznar)

Aznar: “Where are we going if members of the Popular People’s Party cannot go out on the streets any more, or can no longer move about freely? And must they rather show an abundance of tolerance to everybody who wants to  limit their freedom of movement and free speech?” [0.04:09]

(Scene: Aznar shaking hands wit some aged ladies)

Commentator: “In the meantime, the election battle has started, an on May 25 the election will be held.”

[0.04:13] (Scene: Stadium/convention center packed with people)

Commentator: “The governing party gathers in the (sounds like ‘Villegans’) stadium. It is obvious that the governing party is confident.”

(Scene: Aznar speaking from a lectern marked PP de Galicia)

Aznar: “Let the others throw their stones; we should be thankful that Spain still has work.”

(Scene: crowd claps) [0.04:30]

Commentator:  “A clear negative point is that the government is in collaboration with the USA on Spanish projects they hope to sell in Iraq.”

[0.04:36] (Scene: Helicopter with US president George W. Bush has just landed. Bush gets out and shakes hands with Aznar. Gen. Powell is there too. Bush takes a seat in a roofed outdoor locale without walls.

(Commentator: “The War on International Terror and the potential role of Spanish companies in  the reconstruction is discussed with Bush and commitments are made. They forge strong bonds of friendship. Against the will of the majority of his people, Aznar sticks with his allies.”

[0.05:00] (Scene: Hermann Tertsch)

Tertsch: “He was convinced.  He is still convinced. I don’t see how he can still be convinced, but when one loses power, conviction evaporates.”

[0.05:05] (Scene: Opposition party rally with stage and “No a la Guerra” banners. Onstage are a man and a woman.)

[0.05:10] Commentator: “The camp of the opposition candidate, who gained fame as a fighter against Pinochet, and , together with his daughter prepared an appeal against participation in the war in Iraq.”

[0.05:31] (Scene: José Manuel Barroso, José Maria Aznar, Tony Blair, George W. Bush.  Female air force lance corporal salutes)

Commentator: “The Spanish Head of State in search of his place in world politics.  For a group photo, he quickly switches positions.”[0.05.38]

Commentator: “His destiny is tightly bound to Bush and his Iraq policy.” [0.05.40]

End of video.