Prosecutor seeks ban on protest in support of ETA convicts

The High Court public prosecutor is seeking to have a march organized for Saturday in Bilbao in support of ETA prisoners by the platform Tantaz Tanta (Drop by Drop) barred, it emerged on Thursday. 

The prosecutor believes the group may be the successor of Herrira, whose activities have been suspended under suspicion that it is an offshoot of the Basque terrorist group.

State attorney Carlos Batista lodged the request with High Court Judge Pablo Ruz on the grounds that “a protest that has been planned by an organization that is believed to be of a terrorist nature cannot be allowed.”

A number of members of Herrira were arrested last year by Civil Guard officers in the Basque Country on a warrant issued by High Court Judge Eloy Velasco, who ordered their activities be suspended while he investigates whether the group is an offshoot of ETA.

The High Court prosecutor’s request follows a suit filed with Judge Ruz by the Victims of Terrorism Association (AVT) and two other anti-terrorist platforms to have the march barred.

The state attorney is justifying his request on a report drawn up by the Civil Guard based on documents seized in the raid on Herrira’s headquarters in September of last year. The report concluded that Herrira is “the designer or author” of Tantaz Tanta, whose purpose is to “obtain the maximum number of participants in marches in support of ETA prisoners.”