The demonstrations called this 11 November on the occasion of the general strike day general strike have been conditioned by the passage of storm Charles for ANDALUCÍA. The strong gusts of wind and the rains have forced the unions CCOO and UGT to suspend the mobilizations scheduled for the afternoon in the provinces of Cádiz, Huelva, Seville and Córdoba. By contrast, the calls in Almería, Granada, Jaén and Málaga have been maintained and developed normally despite the storm.
The western area of Andalucía has been the most affected by the storm, especially during the afternoon, when the intensity of the storm has been increasing, according to information compiled by Europa Press. In contrast, in Almería, where weather conditions have allowed the call to continue, the demonstration brought together about 2,200 people, according to estimates from the National Police.
The march began at 17:15 in the Plaza de las Velas and traveled along Reina Regente, Ribera de las Almadrabillas, Plaza Emilio Pérez and avenida Federico García Lorca, in a descending direction of traffic, until it ended at the Anfiteatro de la Rambla around 19:30.
In Cádiz city, where both UGT and CCOO have called off the strike, the Tenants’ Union, also a convenor of the general strike, has decided to postpone the mobilization to next Sunday, 15 November, at 12:00. In Rota and La Línea de la Concepción, where demonstrations were also scheduled for 18:00, the organizers have likewise announced their suspension due to adverse weather conditions.
Despite these cancellations, the Tenants’ Union has highlighted that “more than 2,000 people” have walked through the streets of the Cádiz capital during the morning, which it has described as “a historic day of struggle for housing, wages and public services”.
Also, in Córdoba, CCOO and UGT have likewise called off the demonstration scheduled due to the storm-driven weather caused by the ‘Charles’ storm. However, UGT sources have pointed out that, as in Cádiz, the possibility of postponing the mobilization to next Sunday at 12:00 is being considered, maintaining the same route originally planned for this Wednesday.
A suspicious suitcase in Granada
In Granada, the presence of an abandoned suitcase on a nearby bench near Plaza del Carmen, in the very center of the city, has forced the temporary interruption of the advance of the demonstration convened by the unions in connection with the general strike. In light of this situation, officers from the National Police have activated the security protocol and have cordoned off the entire area to guarantee public safety. Tedax personnel have gone to the location to inspect the luggage and rule out the possible presence of any explosive device.
The police deployment has halted the march’s advance, which had set off from the Jardines del Triunfo. Both this mobilization convened by the main unions, CCOO and UGT, and the one carried out by the Sinidcato de Vivienda took place on a day marked by rain and strong gusts of wind in the city of Granada.
The majority of the calling trade union organizations, led by CCOO and UGT, have estimated that 70% of the general strike was followed in the province. Their demonstration through the streets of the city center was led by a banner with the slogan: 'General Strike 11N: for housing, for wages, and for public services'.
Likewise, in the province of Huelva, as in the one in Cádiz, all demonstrations scheduled in connection with the general strike have been suspended due to adverse weather conditions, with forecasts of heavy rainfall and gusts of wind.
In Jaén, the unions described the provincial demonstration as a "historic success," which brought together hundreds of people under the slogan of a society "united against precariousness and the loss of rights". The march set off at 17:30 from Plaza de Jaén por la Paz and went along the Estación promenade, Cid Campeador, Plaza de la Libertad, Pío XII, Avenida de Madrid, and Calle Virgen de la Cabeza, until finishing at Plaza Empresario Diego Torres, next to El Corte Inglés.
A wave of umbrellas in Málraga to live and not to survive
In Málaga city, more than 50,000 people, according to figures provided by CCOO, have taken part in the demonstration, which has been carried out peacefully despite the rain. The mobilization, which has put the finishing touch to the general strike day, has gone along the Paseo del Parque, from the fountain of the Three Graces to the bridge of the Americas, on a route in which the umbrellas have colored a massively attended protest supported by citizens of all ages, from children to grandparents, in a festive atmosphere.
The march has demanded policies that favor access to housing, improved wages, the strengthening of public services, and containment of prices. During the route, the participants have chanted slogans such as "We have the right to have a roof over our heads," "Málaga for living and not for surviving," and "Under the bridge, so many people don’t fit."
Lastly, in Seville city, despite the suspension of the mobilizations called by CCOO and UGT, other union organizations, such as the Sindicato de Inquilinas and the CGT, have kept their calls and have taken part in a demonstration that has toured the city center starting at 18:00 hours. The march set off from the Prado de San Sebastián and has gone along Menéndez Pelayo, Recaredo, and the Puerta Osario until ending at the Setas de la Encarnación.