18j in Valencia report
RESUME:
Around 400 people march in a mobile carnival and cut during 2 hours the avenue where the most important banks are located forcing the diversion of the 27 different buses that normally pass through. Music, theatre, games, picnic- Before that, 2 "critical mass" whith around 20 people each ride through several neighbourhoods affected by projects of soil speculation, causing some traffic collapses.
INTRO:
Valencia like other cities all over the world suffers the effects of the free market economy. An obvious consequence is the problem of the soil speculation: Big avenues destroy historical neighbourhoods, urban development projects and the seaport enlargement smash enormous extensions of fertile cultivated land- In other words a model of city that promotes competitiveness, isolation, productivity, stress - is imposed upon us. At the same time it makes dissapear all cultural and historical roots from the people.REPORT:
In Valencia the international proposal is known a few months before "June18th". People started thinking about the activities for the day:
PROGRAMME:
- 17h * 2 "critical mass" that will ride simultaneously through different areas of the city affected by the soil speculation.
Pouet - Carme - Russafa
La Punta - Nazaret - El Cabanyal- 19h * Meeting point at "La plaza de la virgen" and march to the party Over 3.000 leaflets and 1.000 posters where distributed according to the organizers, as well as several hand painted 5 meter long posters where stamped in different busy roads. Also a radio advert in Radio Klara (free local radio) was done to inform about the "J18th" and was on during almost a month. And J18th finaly arrived-
- 17h: 2 "critical mass" whith around 20 people each provoke traffic jams in some busy avenues causing some nerves and rage to the car drivers.
- 9h: Meeting point at "Plaza de la virgen" where the bikes meet up whith the pedestrians. Around 400 people turn up, many of them dressed up in costumes and carrying musical instruments. Some police men & women in some of the streets accesses to the square.
- 19:45h: People march to the rythm of drums through the streets of the centre of town until they get to the first main road (c/ La paz). Here the street is cut off by a huge banner that read: "Perdonen les molesties, estem tre-BALLANT pel futur" (Sorry for the trouble, we are working/DANCING for the future) Then the sound system is uncovered and the party starts. A huge tablecloth is set up on the middle of the road and there is a picnic whith hot chocolate and sweets. At the same time a mobile stage that was hidden appears and people jump up to dance & play drums.
- 20:15h: The party moves to Lladro's shop of ceramics (The Lladro family is responsable for the destruction of different neighbourhoods), where there is a theatre play ridiculising the council's president Rita Barbera ("The big crab") and denouncing the speculation projects.
- 20:45h: The carnival gets to intersection between c/Poeta Querol (4 lanes) and c/ Las barcas (4 lanes as well). In this road you find the most important banks , there is also a luxury hotel and the stock exchange is near by. 27 different buses that go to the main comercial centre of the town had to be diverted during 2 hours. During all this time there were games like "the rope" or the "sambori", juggling, picnics and "sangria"(wine whith fruits), street theatre with dragons, performances with stilts, fire works and music. People in the party had an excellent time and some of the people going pass joined the party while others observed curiously.
- 22:30: The carnival starts going back to the first meeting point, given that people started to feel a bit tired. On the way the march arrive to the U.S.A. consulate and people starts whistleing. The drums, dances, games and laughs continued at the "Plaza de la virgen" until everyone got tired.
During all the time that the party was on the atmosphere was relaxed, whith people having good fun and loads of participation. There wasn't any incident with police.
The comercial press and all other mass media haven't reflected anything at all about this day. For them nothing happened on J18th in Valencia. Only in Radio Klara people were able to hear something about what happened.
End of report.