The PNV of Eibar has expressed its rejection with "absolute firmness" to the recent "vandalistic attacks" directed against the txosnas of the jeltzale formation and the PSE-EE during the Arrate festivities, considering that they represent "a direct attack on political plurality, on freedom, and on democratic coexistence" in this Guipuzkoan locality.
According to the party's details, the txosna of the PNV woke up this Tuesday with graffiti in which the slogans "independentzia", "sozialismoa", and "amnistia osoa" could be read. In the festive booth of the socialists, messages appeared such as "PSOE = GAL" or "Euskal Herria askatu (Freedom Euskal Herria)".
The jeltzale formation maintains that what happened "cannot be dismissed as a simple act of vandalism nor relativized under the festive context" and emphasizes that "attacking the txosnas of two political formations is attacking legitimate spaces of political participation and expression and trying to intimidate those who, from different positions, participate normally in the Arrate festivities."
In this line, the spokesperson of EAJ-PNV of Eibar, Alberto De la Hoz, has insisted that "we must call things by their name. When the space of a political formation is attacked for what it represents, we are facing an expression of political intolerance. And against that, there can be neither excuses, nor silences, nor ambiguities."
De la Hoz has also recalled that "disagreement, criticism, and even political confrontation are part of any democratic society," but has emphasized that "what can never be accepted is that this disagreement leads to intimidation, vandalism, or attacks against those who think differently."
The spokesperson has also stressed that "no one has the right to decide who can be in Arrate, who can participate in its festivities, or which political acronyms are welcome and which are not. Eibar belongs to everyone. Whoever intends to impose the opposite through attacks or intimidation will find us against them, politically and democratically."
"Intolerance" and repetition of the attacks
The jeltzale organization considers "especially serious" that this type of behavior "cannot be understood as a completely isolated episode," since acts of "vandalism and intolerance" similar have been recorded in Arrate and in other scenarios "year after year."
The PNV of Eibar has wanted to convey its support to the people who work and collaborate in the jeltzale txosna and in that of the PSE-EE, and has expressed its desire to identify those who have carried out the attacks.
In addition, the party has emphasized that the txosna of the PNV has a solidarity character and that, in this edition, the proceeds will be allocated to support the social work of Goi Argi. For this reason, it has stressed that the authors of the graffiti "have not only tried to damage some political initials, but also an initiative whose proceeds are intended for a social purpose."
In the words of De la Hoz, "it is especially miserable to attack a space where dozens of people work voluntarily and whose proceeds also have a solidarity destination. One can disagree with the PNV, of course; what we will not normalize is for that disagreement to turn into harassment or vandalism."
To conclude, the spokesperson has called for a "clear and unambiguous" condemnation of these events by the rest of the political forces and social agents of the city, since, in his opinion, "the defense of coexistence requires something more than generic statements: it requires expressly rejecting any attempt to intimidate or exclude from the public space those who think differently."
De la Hoz has concluded by reminding that "Eibar knows perfectly well where the politics of intimidation and pointing leads. We do not want to go back a single step. We have built together a much freer and more plural society, and we have the obligation to defend it. Whoever thinks that through attacks they will achieve that the PNV hides, remains silent, or stops being present in Arrate is deeply mistaken."