A cordon around the camp

Hundreds of people formed a security cordon around the housing camp in Plaza del Ayuntamiento on Thursday afternoon, from about 16:30, after a far-right group called a rally to 'desalojar' (clear) the square. The cordon protected the main entrances and ran along the tents, with civic group representatives and people who answered the camp's call taking part. The camp has been in place since Saturday with more than 500 tents. Europa Press put its population at more than 1,000 people, while La Razón reported more than 1,500 people camped there. Police were deployed in the square and at Plaza de la Reina, about 500 metres away, and no incidents were reported.

The far-right rally

The Patriam group had called its gathering at Plaza de la Reina, where dozens of people, most of them young and some of them minors, waved Spanish flags and displayed emblems with the Burgundy cross. Europa Press reported that on some occasions participants gave the Nazi salute. Around 19:30 they left, escorted by officers, toward the Parterre, where they dispersed. Inside the camp, the chants included 'No pasarán' and 'València será la tomba del feixisme' (València will be the tomb of fascism), and people urged others to join the general strike set for 11 November.

The mascletà decision

At a press conference on Thursday, the council confirmed that the 9 October mascletà would not be fired because of the camp's presence in the square. Councillor for Citizen Security Jesús Carbonell said the decision came from the Government Delegation in the Valencian Community, which had answered a council request made before any legal action. He said the council had never requested the camp's eviction and that its legal services were studying 'the possibility of taking legal action' over 'inaction', meaning the absence of National Police during the camp's first days.

The mascletà is suspended, because the Government Delegation has said so expressly.

Carbonell also said the civic procession route leaving Carrer de les Barques could be affected, and that the campers would take the request to their assemblies.

Political reactions

Compromís and PSPV accused Valencia's mayor, María José Catalá, of 'incendiar' (inflaming) the atmosphere before the 9 October celebration and asked her to ease tensions. Compromís spokesperson Papi Robles said Catalá 'has lost her institutional character'.

Let her stop blaming the citizens who only ask for decent housing.

At the regional parliament's control session in Les Corts on Thursday, Generalitat president Juanfran Pérez Llorca criticised left-wing groups for trying to 'mediatizar' the celebration and called it 'very unfair' that a small group could stop the mascletà. Addressing Compromís leader Joan Baldoví, he said:

You want to tell us Valencians how we have to be.

What comes next

The 9 October Day of the Valencian Community falls on Friday, with the mascletà now suspended in Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The camp must answer the council's request about the procession route through its assemblies. Calls for a general strike on 11 November were made from the camp during Thursday's gathering.