When the protest announcement was made at the town hall on Monday. Valtonyc (black top and glasses); councillors Truyol and Molina (third and fourth left).

When the protest announcement was made at the town hall on Monday. Valtonyc (black top and glasses); councillors Truyol and Molina (third and fourth left). | Jaume Morey

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma21/03/2018 00:00
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Susana Moll, PSOE's councillor for education at Palma town hall, informed a press conference yesterday that the town hall "is not going to support" Saturday's protest in favour of the Majorcan rapper Valtonyc (real name Josep Miquel Arenas), who faces a three and a half year sentence because of song lyrics which, among other things, insulted the crown and praised terrorist groups.

She explained that the town hall has already registered a motion which states that the sentence is disproportionate. She added that councillors can take part in the protest "in a private capacity" and suggested that the press conference on Monday at which two councillors were present along with Valtonyc and members of his support group had only been used to announce that there would be a demonstration.

Moll's statement followed what José Hila, the PSOE former mayor, had to say on Tuesday: PSOE respected the protest but would not support it. Opposition parties, the Partido Popular and Ciudadanos, had demanded the resignation of the two councillors - Aligi Molina (Podemos) and Neus Truyol (Més).

The Audiencia Nacional in Madrid has started the procedure for Valtonyc to go to prison. He was given three days from Tuesday to request a suspension to the start of his sentence. If there is no request, there will be a further ten day period for him to enter prison voluntarily.