In Madrid, it remains unclear how authorization was obtained for a fascist demonstration by hundreds of people this weekend, who walked through the streets of the Spanish capital until they reached the Almudena cemetery.
They gather every year, but the statements and speeches made in this edition were even more extreme and, in addition, they completely breached the safety rules in force to stop the spread of Covid-19.
"The Jew is to blame"
Representatives of Juventud Nacional, youth section of the fascist España 2000 group, organised the march, which put the Jewish community at the centre of all its xenophobic threats and hatred: "It is our supreme obligation to fight for Spain and for Europe, now weak and liquidated. Due to the enemy, the enemy that will always be the same, albeit with different masks: the Jew. The Jew is to blame, the [Spanish] Blue Division fought them. And they are the European leaders of Communism, a Jewish invention."
" 'The Jew is to blame.' This is not Berlin during the Hitler regime in 1936, it is Madrid, yesterday Sunday in 2021. Hate crime."
"Hate crime" was the simple definition of what took place, as La Marea journalist Enric Morera summed it up.
A Nazi priest
But the speeches did not end here. The church also took part, with the discourse of a priest who railed against communism: "Without a doubt, Marxism, just as in the past, during the Second World War, and today too, has tried to shake the peace of our society, the peace of our spirits and, above all, to get rid of the one who is the prince of peace: our Jesus Christ".
The demonstration carried on through the Francoist chants, with the fascist anthem Cara al Sol sung by a crowd without masks, giving Nazi salutes and with speakers calling on the crowd to defy the Covid-19 regulations: "You need to breach the curfew, get together, with more than [the Covid maximum of] six, as we are doing here today, hug each other and sing. Our honour is called fidelity, call it out with me: Hail Spain! Hail Europe!". The images were first released by the Russian communications agency Ruptly.
The event was attended by different fascist groups such as España 2000 and the president of La Falange, Manuel Andrino. Every month of February, Nazi groups from all over Spain gather in Madrid to celebrate this event, which coincides with the anniversary of the Battle of Krasni Bor, in which Blue Division - the Spanish forces sent by Franco - took part alongside the Nazis.
Prosecutors asked to investigate
The regional government, the Community of Madrid, has urged the public prosecutors to investigate the events and the antisemitic statements made. President Isabel Díaz Ayuso's executive expressed its dissatisfaction and declared its "maximum condemnation of the actions" denounced by Spanish antiracist groups Plataforma contra el Antisemitismo and Movimiento contra la Intolerancia.
The Madrid regional justice minister, Enrique López, of the right-wing Popular Party, has asked prosecutors to open an investigation to clarify whether this alleged attack on the Jewish community took place, considering it to be a possible hate crime. Despite the evidence of the images, the doubts have been delegated to a prosecution service investigation. It is unknown who authorized this demonstration and why no action was taken at the time of the events. Events like these require approval from the regional Madrid delegation of the Spanish government itself, under the Socialists and Podemos.
Fascist salutes and Francoist anthems in Sunday's homage in Madrid to the Spanish Blue Division which fought alongside the Nazis against Soviet Russian forces in World War Two.