Prosecutors ponder legality of Alianza far-right group

Prosecutors have opened an inquiry to determine whether they should ask the Supreme Court to ban the far-right nationalist group Alianza Nacional. The group, which states that it wants to protect Spanish unity, is organizing a rally on Spain's October 12 National Day in Barcelona where members say they will burn Catalan flags.

Some of its members were involved in an altercation at the Blanquerna Cultural Center in Madrid on September 15 where a group of people were celebrating the Diada, or Catalan National Day. Twelve were arrested after a violent interruption of proceedings in the center.

In a statement, Gaspar Llamazares, the spokesman for the Plural Left parliamentary bloc, said that after the Blanquerna incident, he had filed a complaint with prosecutors demanding that Alianza Nacional be declared an illegal grouping. The far-right organization on Saturday organized a fundraiser on the outskirts of Madrid for its planned demonstration in Barcelona in which leaders said that other extreme right group will participate, including the Falange, Nudo Patriota Español and Democracia Nacional.

At the event, Alianza leaders burnt Catalan flags and called on the government to do everything possible to stamp out the independence drive in the northeast region.

On its website, Alianza Nacional charged that the Civil Guard harassed some participants at Saturday's rally.