Fascist salute in Parliament: PP had invited expelled troublemakers

Parliamentary sources confirmed that the group of representatives of the "October 12th Movement" was invited to the chamber by Alícia Sánchez-Camacho's PP. In fact, one of the troublemakers was the PP candidate for Tona

"Long live Spain! We're Spanish, whether you like it or not!" Amid these cries, a group of guests who identified themselves as representatives of the "October 12th Movement" had to be expelled from the public gallery of the Catalan Parliament. But how did they ever get in? Parliamentary sources have confirmed to ARA that they had been invited by Alícia Sánchez-Camacho's PP. In fact, one of the troublemakers was Francisco Ribas, the head of the list for the PP in Tona.

As they exited the parliament, the troublemakers --one of whom left the chamber while making the raised-arm fascist salute, a moment captured for ARA by photojournalist Pere Virgili-- did not want to reveal who had invited them. While some reports initially identified them as being with Vox, the party of Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the fact is that their invitations were processed by the PP. ARA has learned that the parliamentary group of ERC has asked the Speaker to inform the groups as to who had invited the troublemakers and to demand an explanation and identify who was responsible.

The parliamentary spokesperson for ICV-EUiA, Dolors Camats, filed a petition today (Wednesday) regarding "the very serious incident" that took place in which "a guest of the House made a fascist salute". The coalition asked the Speaker to announce "publicly which person or parliamentary group had invited this individual", and that "the person who made the fascist salute be prohibited from having access to the Parliament in the future". The PSC has also demanded explanations from the Speaker as to who had invited them.

"Disgust" for the fascist gesture in Parliament

The incidents provoked by the self-proclaimed representatives of the October 12th Movement have led to reactions by the parliamentary groups. ERC leader Oriol Junqueras recalled that the fascist salute is a crime in the advanced democracies of the world, and especially in those countries that have suffered under the yoke of fascist dictatorships, like Italy and Germany. He deplored that it is not also a crime in Spain.

The national coordinator of ICV-EUiA, Joan Herrera, expressed via Twitter his "shame and disgust" at seeing the "fascist gesture" by the invitees of the PP in the Catalan Parliament. David Fernández, spokesman for the CUP, also tweeted: "From those who say "You can't vote" come fascist salutes and cries of "Long live Spain" in Parliament. And they were invited by the PP". In fact, Fernández explained that, Albert Rivera (Cs) spoke to PP MP Dolors Montserrat inside the chamber, washing his hands of the troublemakers and insinuating that they had been invited by the PP.

Far from condemning them, Alícia Sánchez-Camacho, president of the PP in Catalonia, washed her hands of the matter and merely said that "each individual is responsible for their own actions", and called hypocritical those who, on the other hand, don't talk about nor condemn the verbal harassment against PP members.

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