
Spain's hologram protest: Thousands join virtual march against new gag law - kurren
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spains-hologram-protest-thousands-join-virtual-march-in-madrid-against-new-gag-law-10170650.html
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quinndupont
This is an absolutely genius exploration of new forms of critique. We now live
in a world in which marching on the streets, political protests, and
demonstrations are immediately met with a militarized response sanctioned by
the FUD of terrorism. The shift, the first protest in this new era, was likely
1999 WTO protests in Seattle, WA. Since then, the whole enterprise has become
a game or dance: people march on the streets, the police crack down and drum
up support for new, better military gear. Anonymous, for whatever your stance
on their questionable politics, was interesting precisely because it offered
an alternative to this dance. A hologram protest is another interesting
approach.

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themartorana
For the little or lot it's worth, filming and photographing police activity in
public is rather strongly protected in the U.S., whereas the Gag Law sets
fines of €30,000 for doing so.

It may be the last bastion of true freedom in a Free Speech Zone world, but
it's no minor difference.

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pvaldes
A lot of laws in Spain those years seem to be created with the only purpose of
either gaining time (for prescription of former crimes for politicians) or to
guarantee the creation of a new "damage" that could be claimed (by friends or
family of politicians) and billed to spaniards later if the law is repealed
(as is expected to be, of course).

An example: Spaniards will pay >1400 millions/euro in the next years to a
private enterprise for the right to stop hundred of unexpected earthquakes in
some heavily populated points of the mediterranean coast. Earthquakes that
were linked with the activity of this enterprise, a personal bet of some
politicians.

[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10365...](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10365300/Spain-
faces-1bn-bill-over-gas-plant-linked-to-earthquakes.html)

[https://www.thespainreport.com/6623/hundreds-earthquakes-
cau...](https://www.thespainreport.com/6623/hundreds-earthquakes-caused-
directly-castor-gas-project-say-spanish-geologists/)

We have new laws that grant hunting animals in national parks, cutting down
trees, fracking, etc... In the future, when people think about to repeal the
law, a miriad of complaints for lost profits will probably be filled by
multinationals and major landowners. We'll need to pay someone for the right
of repeal those crazy laws. Is, most probably, a business.

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ehmmm
The worst one is: For carrying out assemblies _or meetings in public spaces_ –
100 to 600€ fine.

[http://revolution-news.com/spanish-congress-approves-
draconi...](http://revolution-news.com/spanish-congress-approves-draconian-
laws-essentially-sending-spain-back-to-the-dark-ages/)

How do you define a meeting in a public space?

~~~
pjmlp
Sadly this brings back memories from the old days.

Speaking from those dark times, it would be enough if the police would spot a
group of say three people talking together in the street.

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pjmlp
I was unaware of this law.

Sad dark times seem to be ahead.

As a Portuguese that still lived the early days of the new democracy, I know
quite well what living under Salazar meant. And Franco's ruling wasn't any
different, if worse.

Laws like these just bring back memories of those days.

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phesse14
It's a pretty good idea imo . I don't share most of the complains about the
law, but the one they refer to "protest in front of public buildings" is
unbelievable. For instance, according to this, Transferwise could have never
lead a naked march on Wall Street

~~~
higherpurpose
Just the fact that they plan to charge "up to 600,000 euro" for protesting
should be the reason to kill the whole law. Such a fine can _only_ be useful
in deterring free speech. It's not going to deter terrorism or other stuff
like that.

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jqm
To me, this indicates the government of Spain envisions more things to protest
coming soon. Not a good sign.

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mintplant
Anyone know how this was done?

~~~
ThatOtherPerson
It looks like a video projected on a transparent screen, similar to the
variant of Pepper's Ghost used in several concerts recently.

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KajMagnus
Why is the Spanish Congress doing this? What are the long term goals?

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intopieces
Spain has 25%+ unemployment and has for a long time. Measures like this are to
prevent riots (this is their logic - not making a statement about the validity
of the law itself)

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JulianMorrison
Laws don't prevent riots. If anything the opposite, they bottle anger until it
explodes. But they do make it easier to demonize rioters.

~~~
intopieces
Sometimes they do. For example, in Spain, they protested with holograms
instead of with their bodies because of a law the banned protests outside of
public buildings.

~~~
pvaldes
This is not a valid example.

You said it. They _protested_ , pacifically, and now they can't. A protest is
a basic right that is (was?) granted by the constitution. When pacific protest
is automatically equaled to riot, just because, then we have a big problem
here: Constitution is not legal anymore.

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usaphp
Isn't their a law in every developed country that restricts unauthorized
meeting of lots of people already? Am I missing something?

~~~
ehmmm
Perhaps you meant organized public meeting with a specific purpose?

Having just read some of my countries law( a developed country ) on the
subject you are somewhat right.

Public meetings are regulated and must be registered. To qualify, the
location, participation and organization must be public. Technically an
arranged meeting with your friends in a public space could be considered a
public meeting. This probably wasn't the intention of the writers of the law,
but interpreting it as it is written, it gets that ridiculous.

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acd
Police state

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Eye_of_Mordor
Isn't Spain subject to the European Convention on Human Rights?

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a_hologram

      ...and in other news, the United States government is 
      said to be contsructing a new carrier-grade backbone 
      network in anticipation of the expected petabit scale 
      traffic preciptated by an emerging new fad referred to 
      as "hologram flash mobbing."
    
      When consulted, a panel of scientists suggested instead 
      that it might be more practical to place a very bright
      lightbulb in front of the capitol building. This 
      suggestion preciptated a large spike in hologram traffic
      when a spokesperson for the organization, the swift boat 
      veterans for truth, questioned whether the light bulb
      might shine brighter than the eternal flame at the tomb 
      of the unknown soldier, to which one member of the panel 
      flippantly replied:
    
      "Well, the inverse square law suggests that if you'd 
       prefer a brighter flame you could always go stand within
       it."

