Protests as anti-protest law comes into effect


Greenpeace kicks off protests before ‘gag law’ is passed tomorrow

GREENPEACE activists have kicked off the anti-gag law protest by draping a yellow banner which proclaims ‘protesting is a right’ off a crane near Spain’s parliament.

The Public Security Law ‘ley mordaza’ comes into effect tomorrow, July 1, and human rights groups and campaigners are set to protest up until midnight in Madrid.
It has generated widespread controversy, international criticism and raised issues over the freedom of expression.
"This law lacks justification, as there are no great problems of citizen security in Spain" said Miguel Ángel Soto, Greenpeace spokesman.
"The law is there to silence the voices that criticise the government's leadership."
The law will make many types of public gatherings and demonstrations illegal and protestors will not be allowed to assemble outside Congress.
It will also permit the expulsion of migrants caught entering Spain's African enclaves.
It would also more heavily control filming and photographing police.
"In less than 14 hours, it will be illegal to TWEET about a protest which has not been approved by the government in Spain," tweeted Madrid-based  expat Richard Shannon.
If a tweet contains a hashtag which publicises a political event the government hasn't authorised , it will be considered illegal.
The security law, which provoked the world's first ever hologram protest back in April, could also lead to  a €30,000 fine for unauthorised photographs of police.
Vocabulary:

to kick off (an event, procedures) - 

to gag - 

to pass a law

to drape - 
a banner - 
a right

a crane - 

to come into effect

to be set to do sth - 

up until (midnight) - 

widespread (adj) - 

to raise (issues, concerns, suspicion etc.) - 

lack (v,n) -
a spokesman – 

leadership (n) – 
a gathering

a demonstration - 
a hashtag - 

to lead to sth -

What are your views? Be careful what you say... :-)

Comments

José said…
Hi Graham,

I didn’t know about The Public Security Law and when I have seen your blog, I see that there is a “gag law” in my country. What a pity. I can’t believe it. We are in another dictatorship, like in the last century. I have read this law and I have read some newspapers, for instance, “El Confidencial” and it says:

Very serious offence (falta muy grave in Spanish):

“To project beams above the drivers of means of transportation which can blind or distract their attention and cause accidents”. (“Proyectar haces de luz sobre los pilotos o conductores de medios de transporte que puedan deslumbrarles o distraer su atención y provocar accidentes”, in Spanish)

Serious offence (Falta grave in Spanish):

“To stop all authority the legal exercising your position to follow the law of administrative decisions or legal rulings” (“Impedir a cualquier autoridad el ejercicio legítimo de sus funciones en el cumplimiento de resoluciones administrativas o judiciales”. In Spanish. Este punto sancionaría, por ejemplo, las concentraciones para impedir la ejecución de desahucios dice el Confidencial).

Minor error (Falta leve in Spanish):

“To let cruel animals loose or be in condition to do damage, just like to leave domestic animals in conditions that their life be in danger” (“Dejar sueltos o en condiciones de causar daños animales feroces, así como abandonar animales domésticos en condiciones en que pueda peligrar su vida”. In Spanish)

They are several examples about the gag law (Ley mortaja). These examples are enough to understand the protestation. Dare I say that they have not read this law. That goes without saying.

See you.
Graham said…
Hi José,

Greetings from a cold and wet Inverness.

I am surprised that you hadn't heard of this "gag law". I thought you kept up-to-date with current affairs. :-)

I didn’t know about The Public Security Law and when I read your blog I saw that there is a “gag law” in my country...

“To project beams above pilots or drivers which can blind or distract their attention and cause accidents”. (“Proyectar haces de luz sobre los pilotos o conductores de medios de transporte que puedan deslumbrarles o distraer su atención y provocar accidentes”, in Spanish)

Serious offence (Falta grave in Spanish):

“To stop authorities from doing their job" - in plain English, no gobbledygook :-) (“Impedir a cualquier autoridad el ejercicio legítimo de sus funciones en el cumplimiento de resoluciones administrativas o judiciales”. In Spanish. Este punto sancionaría, por ejemplo, las concentraciones para impedir la ejecución de desahucios dice el Confidencial).

Minor offence (Falta leve in Spanish):

“To let cruel animals loose or be in condition to do damage, such as leaving domestic animals in conditions that their life be in danger” (“Dejar sueltos o en condiciones de causar daños animales feroces, así como abandonar animales domésticos en condiciones en que pueda peligrar su vida”. In Spanish)


You can keep leaving your comments. I have access to internet at my parents' now.
Roberto said…
TO KICK OFF: PONER EN MARCHA
TO GAG: AMORDAZAR
TO PASS A LAW: APROBAR UNA LEY
TO DRAP: CUBRIR
A BANNER: BANDERA (AND WHAT ABLOUT "FLAG"?)
A RIGHT: UN DERECHO
A CRANE: GRÚA
TO COME INTO EFFECT: ENTRAR EN VIGOR
TO BE SET TO DO SOMETHING: ACORDAR HACER ALGO
UP UNTIL: HASTA
WIDESPREAD: GENERALIZADO
TO RAISE: PLANTEAR
TO LACK: FALTAR
A SPOKESMAN: PORTAVOZ
LEADERSHIP: LIDERAZGO
A GATHERING: REUNIÓN
A DEMONSTRATION: DEMOSTRACIÓN
A HASHTAG: ETIQUETA/ALMOHADILLA (TWEETER)
TO LEAD TO STG.: LIDERAR/CONDUCIR

Hi!. I´m here again... Graham,you are lucky to be in Inverness,here is hot as hell!.
I agree with the protests.You can´t solve problems only with police and fines.More control it´s not the solution!.
Graham said…
Hi Roberto,

Did I read right? Someone who wrote on a town hall's website calling the local police lazy was the first person to be prosecuted because of this law. OMG!

Again, the translation depends on the context. For example, "raise" has quite a few meanings.

If you are set to do something, you are ready / about to do it. So maybe the translation would be "estar listo para....".

I think "banner" is more "cartel". We usually use "flag" to represent a nation though the US flag is referred to as "the star-spangled banner"

Is "demostración" the same as "manifestación"?

I thought "etiquetta" was "label" or "tag".


here it is hot as hell... More control is not the solution.

arghhhh I am seeing "it" mistakes again!!! Read: http://madteachergraham2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/who-is-it-its-me.html

José said…
Hi Graham and Roberto,

I’ m sorry Graham for this comment because you are on holiday.

The “gag law” really has already the first fine. The local police have punished a man who has called “escaqueados” to some police men.

In my opinion and with due respect, as would say the best teacher in the world, it’s not possible to cause offences to people. They can’t go insulting to people through the world. I wonder whether a worker is called “escaqueado o hacer novillos o no trabajar in Spanish” by other worker mate in a company, can’t he defend? If he doesn’t defend, the company will dismiss him for skive. Don’t you agree?

In the Punish Spanish law or Criminal Spanish Code, there is an article, the number 208, about the injury (injuria in Spanish), that it says: “It’s injury the action or the expression that damages honour of the another person, reducing his reputation or offending against his own estimation”. This law is since 1995. The punishment is a fine between 3 -7 or 6-14 months. What do you prefer: go to the court or administrative fine? That goes without saying.

See you.
Roberto said…
I know... I always make the same mistakes!.
I have to review that staff one more time...
Roberto said…
That guy have to pay 600 Euros to call the Local Police "casta de escaqueados"!(a bigger fine than if you rob somebody less than 400 Euros).
Some politicians sometimes use the same expression about the civil servants on TV("lazy","slacker",etc.).

Maybe "BANNER" can be "PANCARTA",but I´m not sure...
I think "DEMONSTRACION" is "MANIFESTACIÓN".
Graham said…
Hi José,

I have the accent on your "e" because I copied and pasted your name.


I suspect that this won't be the last bizzare use of this law.


... The local police have punished a man who has called some policemen "escaqueados".

In my opinion and with due respect, as the best teacher in the world would say, it’s not possible to cause offence to people. They can’t go insulting people throughout the world. I wonder if a worker is called “escaqueado o hacer novillos o no trabajar in Spanish” by another / a fellow workmate in a company, can he defend himself? If he doesn’t, the company will dismiss him for skiving. Don’t you agree?

In Penal Spanish law or Criminal Spanish Code, there is an article, number 208, about injury (injuria in Spanish), that says: “Injury is the action or the expression that damages honour of another person, reducing his reputation or offending against his own estimation”. This law has been in place since 1995. The punishment is a fine between 3-7 or 6-14 months.(a fine of months??) What do you prefer: go to court or an administrative fine? That goes without saying.




Graham said…
Hi Roberto,

Staff = people who work in a business.

Stuff = things.

That guy has to pay 600 Euros for calling the Local Police "casta de escaqueados"!(a bigger fine than if you steal less than 400 Euros from somebody).

Some politicians sometimes use the same expression about on TV civil servants on TV("lazy", "slacker", etc.).


A banner is the longer sign that several people hold.

A placard is the sign that is held by one person.