Protest at decision to ban Women's Day march

PALMA
MEMBERS of the Platform for Equality for Women have expressed their indignation at the actions of the police during a demonstration held in Palma.
About 15 members of the police were present at yesterday's silent gathering of some 300 people in the Plaza España to protest against the decision not to allow them hold a demonstration to mark International Women's Day.

The decision to prohibit the demonstration was taken by the provincial electoral commission because yesterday was the day of reflection - during which all forms of political protest and manifestation are banned - before today's General Election.

Some of those present at yesterday's gathering were asked for identification by the police.
They were told they did not have the authorisation of the council to hold the demonstration.
A spokeswoman for the Platform, Elena Herrera, said that the decision of the electoral commission to prevent the demonstration going ahead showed that women “continued being ignored”.

Many of those who attended yesterday's gathering were members of the main political parties on the Island, including the PSOE, PSM, UM and EU.
However, many of them said that they were attending solely in a personal capacity, and not as representatives of their parties or institutions.
One such was Manuel Camara, the Director General of the Balearic Government's Immigration Department. He said people's “right to protest) had not been respected.