Spanish Fascists deface the monument to 123rd Catalan President handed by the Gestapo to Franco and executed

The monument to Catalonia's President Lluís Companys in the city of Lleida, has appeared painted in red tonight. The same day the Lleida's Mayor Angel Ros, from the Spanish nationalist left party PSOE, banned all yellow ribbons and said that he will remove them.

Arrested by the Gestapo, executed by Franco, still a convict in Spain today. Both Germany and France have officially apologised for having participated in the arrest and deportation of Lluís Companys, the Spanish justice system continues to refuse to declare the judgement void. The Spanish state —not just Justice but also the Executive and the Legislative branches— have repeatedly opposed recognising the illegality of the Courts Martial, and has refused to meet the families of the victims: those executed, murdered, and buried in mass graves, as well as exiles, those expelled from their jobs, and those whose homes, lands, and businesses were confiscated.
On October 15th 1940 Lluis Companys was the only democratic elected president executed in Europe. The ruling Spanish party, PP, was founded by a Minister of Franco. This dictator sent the Blue Division as a strong militar unit to help Hitler.

The German Gestapo had handed over to their fellow Spanish Secret Police only a few months earlier a 58 year old man who represented a country they wanted to ridicule in defeat and to teach a lesson for the future.
A labour lawyer with a strong background in social struggles, a long political career and extensive experience in local government, the President of the Parliament of Catalonia (1932-1933), a Minister of the Spanish Government (1933) and the leader of the non-Marxist, socially-oriented Catalan Republican Left Party —the leading party at that time— Lluis Companys had led the government of Catalonia (1934 and 1936-1940) in harsh times, which worsened with Gen. Franco's fascist coup d'etat.

News of his death flew across borders, languages and cultures, and its echo reached antifascists worldwide. Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, the future Nobel laureate, dedicated a fiery "Song to the Death and Resurrection of Lluís Companys," which emanates a flood of images that defined much of his work.

Catalonia's 123rd President, Lluís Companys
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