Last December 22, the police installed a video surveillance camera in front of the house of some anarchist comrades in the Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona. The camera was located on the side of the roof of a restaurant right in front of the house in question. It was protected by a dark glass casing and pointed directly at the door of the squatted house of the compas (as can be seen in the photograph), which is why it is impossible to think that it was a “security” measure of the restaurant, which already has its own “security” system. The restaurant has refused to give coherent explanations about these facts.
It should be noted that the compas were arrested on August 23 of this year, accused of having participated in the actions of the May 1st demonstration. This is a repressive case being handled by the Violent Extremism Brigade of the Mossos d’Esquadra, an information brigade that now specializes in the persecution of anarchists. After months of investigation, the compas were arrested at the door of their home, and since then members of the secret police have been seen around the property.
We know that the security forces of the state watch and spy in different ways and periodically on anarchists and the revolutionary movements of which they are part. The police have at their disposal all the means to do so, as they have already demonstrated before and do in territories all over the planet. But now we not only have the presentiment, but also the certainty and the proof that proves it thanks to the images and information provided. Continue reading “Barcelona, Spain: Spying and video surveillance in front of the anarchist compas’ house”